United boss Paul Simpson confirmed this week that he’s still open to more incoming transfer activity as he continues to put the pieces of his squad together to take on the first half of the campaign.
“There are two areas we know we want to strengthen, and we know we need goals,” he said. “The truth is they’re not easy to come by.
“We’ve been in the market for a goalscorer all summer, once we knew Kristian Dennis was leaving. The truth is we’ve not been able to find one, or not the one who’s going to go and get 20 goals a season.
“But you’ve got to be lucky with that type of player, to stumble on them. When you don’t have the biggest budget to be able to pay, you’re going to struggle, that’s why it’s been a real challenge over the summer.
“I think when we get players fully fit and firing on all cylinders I do believe we’ve got players to score goals. Whether we score enough is going to be the biggest debate, and that’s why they need to be popping up all over the place.
“That’s why we need players like Jon Mellish to go and score goals. It’s important that centre backs get goals from set plays, it’s important if we’re asking wing backs to get in at the far post that they get goals. If we don’t get them spread out this season it’s going to be a long slog.”
“There are still those two areas to add to, and it’ll mean some players will get left out of the 18, but we’ve got to have a group of players who are all prepared to go and fight and work. When they get their opportunity they’ve got to be ready for it.
“I’m hoping that we’ve got one coming in for this weekend, but I’m not prepared to say any more because I’m sick of getting let down.
“Not by our club, I’m sick of getting let down by different scenarios coming up. I would hope to get one in by the weekend, we’ll wait and see.”