Keith Curle discusses his January transfer plans

Cobblers boss Keith Curle says he is keen to 'strengthen' his squad next month but has warned it could be a 'very difficult' window to do business.

Curle is in agreement with chairman Kelvin Thomas that Town's squad requires an injection of quality following four straight league defeats, however he might have to play the waiting game. One or two players may also need to go out for others to come in.

"I think it's going to be a very, very difficult window and the timing within the window is going to be vitally important," warned Curle. "Is there going to be a lot of early movement? No, I don't think.

"I think there might be a mad scramble towards the end due to the financial situation of a lot of clubs. If you want to take a player from a club in the early part of the window, it will probably be more expensive at the start than when you come to the end.

"Clubs might have players who won't be in their squads of 22 so they will have to decide whether they'll keep paying him and having him sat in the stands, which means the price might go down.

"A lot of players also won't jump at the first option if their club makes him available and he's not involved in the squad of 22. Those players might not take the first option and will leave it two or three weeks to see what their choices are and make a decision in the latter stages of the window, which is their right.

"We're no different. We've got a structure of a 22-man squad and we need to come out of January with a stronger squad than what we've gone into it with."