Northampton Town to wait on injured players before entering transfer market

Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd has confirmed he has already started the process of January transfer window remodelling - but will wait for fitness news on three key players before advancing any deals.

Town should get midfielder Luke Guttridge and defensive duo David Artell and John Johnson back from medium-term injuries in the next fortnight.

Luke Guttridge, who broke a bone in his foot, has almost completed a three-month rehabilitation and will be the first to return, with Artell next and Johnson the final one to rejoin the group.

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If the trio are all cleared to play, it would leave Boothroyd with Alex Nicholls, who has been given a target return date of July next year, as his only injured player.

That would also have an impact on his January transfer activitity - the manager admits he will made some alterations to his squad but is adopting a cautious approach until the players return.

“I need to see what’s going to happen in the next few games,” he said. “I need to see how Luke Guttridge is and what happens in terms of Dave Artell and John Johnson.

“I need to have all that tied up and ready in my mind and although it’s only likely to be a few weeks for those players we play a lot of games in that time.

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“It’s important to be ready to press buttons because you can tell somebody something and then somebody else gets injured or something happens.

“The lads that have come in on loan have all settled in well and so we have to keep those plates spinning while making sure we’re getting results on the pitch.”

The Cobblers have already been linked with Kidderminster Harriers striker Jamille Matt, for whom three bids were made 12 months ago before his club priced the player out of a move, and although the club could do with an extra striker to cover Nicholls’ injury, Boothroyd is aware injuries elsewhere in his small squad will quickly change the recrtuitment focus.

“You have a plan but it changes very quickly,” he said.

“Touch wood we don’t get any more injuries but something might become more of a priority than the positions I’m thinking about at the moment.

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“At the same time, you never know who’s circling around your players because that always happens, especially if you have a good run of results and your team is doing well.

“At the moment I’ve got a fair idea of what needs to come out and what needs to be moved in but until we’re right at that 11th hour I’ll be keeping my cards close to my chest.

“I can make plenty of calls and line plenty of things up but it can all change very quickly and you’ve got to be prepared to act quickly.”