Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough discussed the club’s prospective incomings and outgoings in the January transfer window in his latest news conference.
The boss expects additions, including a potential new striker, but insists players brought in to the club must ‘complement’ the current group.
Speaking to iFollow Stags, the manager provided an update on the future of John-Joe O’Toole as the 33-year-old approaches the expiration of his current deal.
“It’s very amicable,” the gaffer revealed
“We’re trying to get a deal that is acceptable but he has a very, very good offer from a team in the league above.
“It’s going to be very difficult for us to match that deal but we’re still talking and we’re still trying.
“He’s officially still in contract with us until the 22nd of January so he’s got another two weeks with us which we hope [in which time] he’ll keep playing and then we can keep working on things.
“We said at the weekend, a decision has got to be made in the next few days.”
In terms of further incomings, the Stags’ chief says a new striker is an area Mansfield are targeting.
“We want another striker if we can [get one],” he said.
“That’s an area where you need to be able to change them [the strikers] and give them a breather.
“We want somebody who complements what we’ve got. We’ve got a few names but it has to be someone who fits the mould and add to what we’ve got as we’re very happy with the foundation of our squad.
“We’re not panicking as the squad we’ve got, as we’ve seen over the past few weeks, is a good squad.
“We don’t need to make wholesale changes to it, it’s not a thing where six or seven will be coming in or anything like that.”
In more general business, the manager said: “In the next couple of weeks, if we can get two or three new faces in and balance it up - there’ll be more players going out than coming in – I hope we can get a squad in place to keep competing for the next four months.”
On-loan defender Will Forrester’s loan at the club ended on 09 January. The 20-year-old defender is someone the manager hopes to be reunited with come the end of the window.
“We’re still waiting on Will Forrester as well.
“We’d like to re-do that loan. Stoke are saying that they want to see what business they do in the next ten days as to whether they’ll let him back out or not.
“Everybody is sort of spinning plates and waiting on each other.”
Mansfield face Swindon Town tomorrow evening at One Call Stadium. The boss’ side will be hoping to gain 24 points out of a possible 27.
“They’re very strong away from home,” he said.
“I think they’ve had ten wins this season and seven of them have been on the road.
“The way they play is with pace on the break and when you have quality in the final third [then] you can play like that.
“If you’re finishing a good ratio and percentage of your chances, then you don’t need to create that many.
“They have attacking threats all over the pitch.”
The gaffer discussed potential absentees for the game against the Robins.
“We’ve got three main doubts.
“Stephen McLaughlin was a bit sore with his calf on Saturday.
“Ryan Stirk; a ball hit him on the end of the toe, he’s a doubt.
“George Lapslie felt his thigh so he’s a doubt also for tomorrow night.
“[In terms of illness in the squad] We’ve only got Tyrese Sinclair off with it and Faz Rawson is still testing positive but we hope to have him for Saturday. “
The manager was keen to praise the support of the One Call Stadium crowd after the narrow loss to Championship side Middlesbrough in the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.
“You have your best chance of success when it’s like that. For the supporters to stay and applaud [was fantastic].
“Usually teams only get that when they win but they recognised the incredible effort that went in by the players.
“I hope they’re enjoying the way we’re trying to play, we’re trying to be positive and attack.”
Watch the boss’ interview in full now on iFollow Stags by clicking here.
