Curle reveals what he's looking for in new signings

The transfer window only opened on Tuesday but Town have already lost the services of top goalscorer Kevin van Veen, who returned to Scunthorpe United less than a year after leaving on Wednesday.

It could be a busy month for the Cobblers and Curle has already been clear in his wish to recruit new players but, after revealing the club have ‘bits and pieces’ in the ‘pipeline’ last week, he was not giving much away when asked again about potential business.

“From day one, I’ve come in with a mantra of trying to improve the football team’s results and also the squad, the mentality, the discipline and the performance levels,” he said.

“That hasn’t changed whether the window is open or closed. If there are people out there that I feel will improve us, then I’d like think we’re in a competitive market where we’ll be able to do something.

“What I won’t do is bring players in that I’m not familiar with because I think it’s very important, especially for this window and the transition period that we’re in as a club, anybody that comes in has to be the right character, the right personality and have the right ability.”

Given both the size of Northampton’s squad and the fact it’s underperforming at present, it would not be a surprise if more people followed van Veen out the door, either permanently or on loan.

Curle added: “If there’s players not playing regularly, they’ll be wanting game-time and I fully understand that. No one will be forced out of the door because they have contracts.

“But if there are deals that are right for me, right for the club and right for the players, then they’ll happen. If there’s one piece of the jigsaw that’s not right and doesn’t fit, then it won’t happen.”