The state of play at Cobblers with 36 hours to go until the transfer window closes

Teams across the Premier League and EFL are running out of time to wrap up their transfer business before the January window slams shut.

Clubs can buy or sell players, both permanently and on loan, up until 11pm on Tuesday, and Cobblers could be among those hoping for some late deals to strengthen their promotion challenge at the top of Sky Bet League Two.

With 36 hours to go, here is the state of play at Sixfields….

What's happened so far in January

Cobblers have signed two players so far this month – goalkeeper Tom King and midfielder William Hondermarck. There had been no concrete plans to bring in a goalkeeper but Lee Burge's injury altered the picture and the club were proactive in doing a deal for the experienced King from Salford City on a contract until the end of the season. Hondermarck, by contrast, had been a long-time target of manager Jon Brady and joins from Barnsley on a deal until 2025 after two previous attempts to sign him. There have been no departures aside from a smattering of loans for the club’s younger players.

Are incomings likely?

The club are active and will be pursuing targets over the next 36 hours. They were already in the market to strengthen before Kieron Bowie's injury. The young Fulham loanee has been ruled out for at least two months to leave the Cobblers light in attack, especially as Danny Hylton also missed Saturday’s win at Barrow.

Whilst the club were perhaps looking to strengthen elsewhere previously, their focus may now shift. Brady said as much following Saturday’s game at Holker Street and he is looking at potential reinforcements before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline but – as has been reiterated and emphasised numerous times over the last few weeks – the club will not deviate from their overall recruitment strategy.

They are determined not to be panicked into action by other clubs, even if deals are done at the last minute or not at all. It is not uncommon for business to be conducted in the final 24-48 hours of the window, and chairman Kelvin Thomas suggested as much before the window opened. "No matter how much planning you do, it might be that some clubs don't let players out until the last day of the window, but that's the business and how it works," he said.

How injuries might change the picture

The dilemma for Brady is that if he could guarantee every player would stay fit between now and the end of the season, he might not feel the need to do any business at all. He is happy with his squad and believes it’s strong enough to last the distance and sustain a promotion challenge until the end of the season.

Injuries, however, have plagued Cobblers all season long and continue to do so. Bowie is out for the long-term and defender Aaron McGowan also faces a spell on the sidelines. What Brady does not want to do is stockpile players and unbalance his squad but he might feel compelled into strengthening to ensure he is not left short at the business end of the season.

Rumours

The most persistent rumour is linking Northampton with a loan move for Forest Green forward Matty Stevens. The 24-year-old scored 27 goals in all competitions last season but suffered a serious ACL injury in April and only returned last month. He has an impressive track record and could be an interesting option in the absence of Bowie, but the fact he has only recently come back from a long-term injury will be something to consider. Loans are certainly more likely than permanent additions at this stage.

Any departures?

Unless things change or another club comes in with a significant offer, there are not likely to be any notable departures from Sixfields before the window closes.