Cobblers to focus on loan market as Nolan targets attacking reinforcements

Led by technical director Colin Calderwood and head of recruitment Alex Latimer, alongside Nolan, Town were already targeting at least one forward player this month before news broke that Ethan Wheatley would be returning to Manchester United.

Jack Vale and Tom Eaves are the only out-and-out strikers left on the books at Sixfields going into the second half of the season, however work is underway to add more firepower, and with three loan slots still available, any new arrivals are likely to be temporary additions.

"The loan market is probably the main market for every club at the moment,” said Nolan this week. “You could go out and buy someone but, at this moment in time, I don't think we've seen anybody who we feel we need to pull the trigger on.

"Alex, Colin and myself have been working really hard behind the scenes because you have to be ready and we are ready. We're speaking to agents and clubs about players and hopefully we get a bit of good news in the next 24 or 48 hours.

"There was nothing we could do with Ethan. We tried our best and he’s a lovely lad but it's football and I’ve been in the game long enough to understand how it works. Man United think it's best for him to go somewhere else but only time will tell.

"But it's not our problem now. Our problem is to find somebody else and that's our focus. We're well ahead of where we should be because we've kept in contact with a lot of people and a lot of agents. Alex does his job really well and I'm always on him just in case and hopefully there'll be some news in the near future.

"But there’s no pressure. If it's not the right one, he won't be coming here. It's got to be right. I'm not going to sign someone for the sake of it. They have to come in and make a difference and add to the squad.”

Asked if he’s now looking for two strikers this month, Nolan replied: "I'd love three or four! But we're speaking with a couple at the moment and I'm going to talk to Kelvin (Thomas) and James (Whiting), and all of the staff, and if something can happen, we'll do it.

"But if it can't happen, we just move on. I'm not going to pressured into signing anyone. We have to get it right. We're pleased with the people we're talking to at the moment so let's hope we can get them over the line.”