Cobblers boss Edinburgh targets six of the best ahead of new season

The Town manager is targeting a goalkeeper, three central defenders, a defensive central midfielder and a versatile attacking player who can play both centrally and on the flanks.

Offers are believed to be on the table for all six of the club’s main targets, and Edinburgh is hoping they will all be agreed before the players are due to return for pre-season in just under two weeks’ time, although he is prepared to be more patient if he has to.

Contingency plans are in place should any of the club’s primary targets fall through, and Edinburgh has also revealed that one or two of the imminent signings are likely to be loan deals.

The Cobblers boss has stated in an ideal world that he would like the whole squad contracted, as he felt the six loan players the squad carried in the second half of last season was too many.

But he also feels that there is so much quality on offer in the loan market that it would be unwise to ignore such options, although he would want deals to be of a season-long variety.

“There are offers for near enough the six players in the positions we need, and some are contracted, some are not, and some are still connected to other football clubs,” said Edinburgh.

“You are a phone call away from it happening, a phone call from it being a week away, or a phone call away from it not happening.

“We are continuously working to try and conclude the deals.”

Asked about the possibility of loan players being signed, Edinburgh said: “You can never, ever, rule anything out.

“For us to start saying that ‘everytine has to be a permanent signing’, then that would put us under unnecessary pressure.

“What we have to look at is, where is the best opportunity for the best players?

“There will probably be a loan or two in there, and that is not the end of the world.

“When we had six or seven loan players last season, then that becomes the nucleus of your squad, and I don’t think that can bode well for this football club, the fans or any success.

“But I think there will be opportunities for loans because there are obviously some good players out there that are going to be available.

“We don’t want to write ourselves out of any opportunity of bringing good players to the club, although the majority will be permament signings.”

On the subject of the length of the loan deals, Edinburgh added: “We will try and make it for the season, because then the players and ourselves know where we are at.

“If it’s for half a season, are they fully committed? Do they know if they are going back to their club?

“I think if you get somebody in then it should be for the full season and they are part of the group then, and that is their mindset and mentality for the season, he is a Northampton player.”

There was a departure from Sixfields on Wednesday as midfielder Harry Beautyman signed for league two side Stevenage on a free transfer.