Mansfield Town still on course with prime summer transfer targets

Clough also said he was close to agreeing a deal to sign midfielder Stephen Quinn after his successful loan spell from Burton Albion and staying patient with the rest.

“There is a lot of talking going on at the moment and I have met with quite a few players,” he said.

“I think we are very close with Stephen Quinn and I hope to get that done and over the line this week. That is not a surprise but it will be nice to get him sorted and guaranteed for next year.

“We are closing in on a couple of goalkeepers as well – then it's just strikers and one more defender.

“We have met a striker and we've met a defender and I think we are in with a good shout with both of them.”

He added: “We've just got to be a little bit patient as we're hoping in the next 10 days we should have some positive news.

“It's always about patience at this stage – I don't see an awful lot of business being done throughout certainly League Two and beyond that at the moment.

“There is a lot playing a waiting game and of course agents are trying to get the best deals for players and that may involve saying 'hang on a week or two and see if anyone comes up with anything better'.

“But, as we said a couple of weeks ago, nobody has turned us down yet and we are still in the hunt for our top targets, which is very encouraging.”

Clough was happy with his budget and believes players will want to come as Stags are tipped for a promotion push.

“I think negotiations are going well, very positively,” he said.

“We've got a healthy budget, which is great, and I think there is a sense around that we are going to be there or thereabouts we hope next season.

“I think that's one of the reasons Elliott Hewitt signed for us, the same with Quinny, so I hope the others think that way as well.

“All players want to be part of something positive and, hopefully, a promotion-chasing season. That is what we are trying to sell to them.”