Manager Mark Bonner will hope to have changed the dynamics of the Gillingham squad by the end of the transfer window.
Bonner’s added striker Elliott Nevitt and midfielder Armani Little to the squad so far but there’s plenty of work that’s been done to add more width to the team. The Gills boss wants pace out wide.
Accrington winger Jack Nolan is one player who has already been linked.
Bonner said: “We want to change the dynamic of the team a little. We want to change the make-up of the team and the balance of the squad a little so it gives us an opportunity to play different ways.
“We want wingers in the squad and at the moment it is a squad that hasn’t really got any, so that is something we are really looking to do.
“We are looking at attacking players, we need to improve our creativity and numbers and we certainly want to add in those positions. There are a lot of players across the leagues that fit those boxes.
“You could probably name 10 players that would be suitable for those positions.
“There are a number of players that we are discussing and talking about and spending a lot of time working on.
“Hopefully, we will have some players that ultimately people are excited about, that we make better, but at the same time, whatever anyone has done in the past, it doesn’t guarantee anything for next season. We will sign players that we think can improve us but then the job will be to get the best out of them.”
Nolan, 23, would cost the Gills money because of his age. Accrington have offered him a new contract which means compensation would have to be paid.
Reacting to the rumours, Bonner said: “I don’t live on twitter and I certainly don’t do business on twitter either, it is not for me to talk about any individual player until they are our players.
“We are working really hard currently, speaking to a number of players that are of interest to us in attacking areas of the pitch but at the moment we have got no news to add, whether that adds fuel to the fire or not, I don’t know.
“I don’t want to dismiss or almost confirm anything. I actually just love this time of year, watching the media circus that goes on now and the amount of names that get thrown about, the majority of which are absolute nonsense but it is good fun playing the game and working out who may end up where.
“I will talk about things when they are done and when they are in place, and hopefully over the next few days we will have a little more news of a couple we can add, certainly in the attacking areas of the pitch. Until then I will let everyone else do the rumours!”
He did, however, confirm talks had taken place with both Connor Mahoney and Jorge Hurtado.
Mahoney enjoyed a season-long loan last term from Huddersfield and is now a free agent after being released, although having his young family in the north would mean the Gills would be up against it when competing to sign him.
Hurtado played just three games on loan from Watford before injury ended his season. He caused chaos for the opposition whenever on the ball and would certainly excite the fanbase if a new loan deal can be agreed.
Bonner is looking at multiple options, however.
“They are players that we like,” he said. “Players that have done well and I think it is fair to say conversations have been had with both of those at different points but whether anything comes of that further down the line I don’t know.
“The reality of early May is that we’re having conversations with more players than we will end up signing and they are having conversations with more clubs than just us, that is just how it works.
“Sometimes what you end up signing is dependent on who you sign first and how the dynamics of the squad changes.
“They are certainly two players that we know because they have been here and therefore I actually like the qualities that they have got. Those conversations are ongoing and we’ll see whether there is anything in that down the line.”
