Mansfield Town seeking one more new face after allowing Danny Johnson out on loan to Walsall

But after having bids turned down, manager Nigel Clough said options were currently limited and, with good choices up front already in the club, the new player could end up not being a striker as long as they improved the squad.

Although Stags kick off the new season at Salford City on Saturday, Clough is in no rush to bring anyone in for the sake of it.

“There are not many out there. We have bid for a couple of strikers unsuccessfully,” he said.

“We are trying to get a loan in now if we can just to bolster our options.

“But it is difficult getting one and if you look at our main three strikers - we have Rhys Oates, Lucas Akins and Will Swan - you can add to that Jordan Bowery and Oli Hawkins, George Lapslie can go up front, you add to that James Gale is also in the squad, we are not too badly off in that area.

“So they have to be a good one, the same as the other players we have brought in. They have to be better or different to what we have.

“The player could be young or experienced – we are looking at all options at the moment.”

He continued: “We will go with a squad of 19 outfield players – we have 18 at the moment, so there is a space there.

“It might not even be a striker. It might just be a good player that we bring in to improve us.

"That will be the biggest test, just getting someone to improve the squad.

“It will be just one more now unless somebody went. We have an enquiry for one so we will just see if anything develops with that.

“The plan is still to let young pros James Gale and George Cooper go out on loan once we have sufficient bodies.”

Walsall wanted to give Johnson a two-year contract but say Stags changed their minds and have only loaned him until January.

But he is still not part of Clough's future plans and he said: “Danny was made available and I think that will happen in January.

“It has been done initially as a loan, but I think that is open to change in January.”