Town manager Roy Keane says he is no nearer to adding any new players to his squad, despite targeting two new signings by midweek after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Middlesbrough. In addition to the permanent additions, the Blues boss is also looking at bringing in some loan players with Town currently in the midst of an injury crisis.

Keane said: “We’re negotiating with clubs and we’re negotiating with players and agents, but I don’t think we’re any nearer to signing any more players than we were last week. It’s tough.

“There’s no progress at the moment, but I’m paid to focus on being a football manager and we’ve got a game tomorrow night and I’m working with the players available and not on potential targets.

“We’ve got an owner and a chief executive and I have to step back and please God let them negotiate and try and get the players into the club that we badly need. We need support because we’re short of numbers.”

The Blues boss wouldn’t be drawn on specific targets with Wigan’s Jason Scotland and Cardiff’s Ross McCormack believed to be in his sights: “We’ve spoken to a number of clubs about different players, different options. You get feedback on transfer fees and wages and you just want the opportunity to meet these players. We’ve interest in a number of players.

“We’re also waiting for one or two clubs to get back regarding loan players and we just have to take it a day at a time because, particularly with the injuries during the game on Saturday, I was hoping to have some positive news today, but it’s been fairly quiet.

“But I understand as well — and I know everyone thinks I’m very, very impatient — that we can’t be held to ransom as much as we need support. There are wage structures in place and we’ve got to negotiate like everyone else in football and at the moment these deals don’t look too close to being done. I hope they will be closer before the weekend.”

Keane, who says a midfielder and a defender, probably a full-back, are also on his wish-list in addition to attacking players, confirmed that he is likely to play a very young side at Exeter on Tuesday with Gareth McAuley set to be rested having been withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad with a back injury. David Norris and Grant Leadbitter also complained of stiff backs after Saturday’s game but are expected to play some part against the Grecians.

Carlos Edwards and Mark Kennedy are to undergo scans this afternoon on groin and hamstring injuries respectively. Edwards is likely to be out for a month, but Kennedy will probably be back in a fortnight.

Shane O'Connor had a virus over the weekend but is expected to be fine to make the trip to the West Country after training yesterday.

Tamás Priskin has reported for international duty with Hungary but was complaining of an ankle problem late on at Middlesbrough and may well be withdrawn from the squad facing England at Wembley.

Photo: Action Images

under_the_sun666 added 14:01 - Aug 9 let down
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ipswich61 added 14:04 - Aug 9 here we go again,promise of players coming in and yet nothing
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meekreech added 14:04 - Aug 9 Players either want to come to us or not . If they do the deals should be easier to do .
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jezza78 added 14:05 - Aug 9 Clegg and Evans really need to pull their finger out. This is crazy, how many more deals will slip through net due to an experienced Clegg negotiating with hard nosed football agents. Keane's cleared the decks, its over to you Mr Clegg - sort it.
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Sindre94 added 14:08 - Aug 9 What the h***? Now we finally get promised something GOOD, and then we're let down as usual
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Seasonticketsteve added 14:09 - Aug 9 “There has been no progress and no positive news. I've done my part of the bargain, with freeing up wages and letting players go, I now take a step back, and let the chief executive and owner do the negotiations to get the players we need in, and badly need" Quote from Keane above, he does not sound very happy!
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jawapower99 added 14:11 - Aug 9 ....
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kerryblue added 14:12 - Aug 9 Wouldnt you be better off saying nothing Roy till they have signed on the dotted line instead of having to backtrack on what you say all of the time,its making you and the board look very foolish.
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Lightningboy added 14:15 - Aug 9 Basically we'll have the youth team out on tuesday night....doesn't bother me,give them a run out,can't do any worse than the first teamers have done in the league cup in recent years. Let's hope we have the new signings in by saturday.
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Jewell_do added 14:16 - Aug 9 Get off your high horse, Keane. Last summer the owner and chief Exec were stupid enough to tell you there was £8m to spend. So do exactly what you've said and manage a football team. You dared to spend £1.8m on Martin....he is now playing league one football as we pick up his wages.
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gav_g added 14:16 - Aug 9 Oh well.. some reinforcements would have been nice, but keano is right that we shouldnt pay over the odds- learning his lesson from last year. We have a good young team, but if we 'play a very young side' isnt that basically the academy? No cup run this year then! btw good lck to priskin and fulop if they start on wed'y: an easy few goals and clean sheet respectively to get their confidence up! :)

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TrinidadBlue added 14:16 - Aug 9 Now it really is over to CEO Clegg...naturally as Trinidad Blue I would love to see Jason Scotland join up! Mr Clegg - prove to the Blue Army this week that you're up to the challenge!Two additions providing more attacking options in time for Burnley... In the meantime, let's get behind all the lads... Saturday was a positive start and we can build on it in all competitions. As we're down to the 'bare bones', the satisfaction will surely be even greater and the sense of pride immense....

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1234566789 added 14:17 - Aug 9 No its putting pressure on the board to pull there finger out at least we know whats happening and at least we kno Keane has targets
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bluelady added 14:20 - Aug 9 "I've done my part of the bargain, with freeing up wages and letting players go, I now take a step back, and let the chief executive and owner do the negotiations to get the players we need in, and badly need" hmmmmm
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callmeted added 14:21 - Aug 9 Kerryblue: I would suspect that RK is answering questions in a press conference. The bloke will be dammed if he comments and dammed if he doesn't. He has only said that the CLUB are no nearer . Thats football, it isn''t a question mark over ITFC and certainly not RK. It didn't take long for the doom merchants to reappear
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bluelady added 14:23 - Aug 9 callmeted he said no nearer but didnt he say friday we were very close to signing a striker so that must mean we are still very close?!!!!
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Seasonticketsteve added 14:26 - Aug 9 I hope the board realise that we MUST get promoted this season, as next season the 4 year parachute payments kick in and this league will be impossible to get out of as it could effectively be the same 3 teams coming down & going straight back up again year after year. As bluelady said on another thread, lets speculate to accumulate, £1 million for Scotland, £2 million for McCormack etc and a nice pot of £60 million pound gold is ours for the taking at the end of the rainbow! Come on Clegg, Evans-it is down to you now, lets see your ambition!

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rob7423 added 14:27 - Aug 9 NO WAY IS THIS KEANO'S FAULT Just incase someone decides this is ! sounds like he was promised players would be here by Clegg and now he finds out that the club is no further in signing anybody! He sounded absoulutley fked off during that interview almost begging for Clegg to do his bloody job, i cant help feel that ME and SC want him to snap so they have an excuse to get rid! i hope he doesnt he's gt the players we have now showing great determination and i hope ITFC do well this season.

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PartyDaz added 14:28 - Aug 9 I don't know why some of you bother coming on this website. Those that put quick posts on as soon as a story breaks are obviously keen like the rest of us to hear of new signings. That would lead me to think you're a "supporter". But why o why are you so quick to slate Keane EVERY single time a slightly negative story appears? Yes, he is the manager, but he doesn't oversee every single aspect of the running of our football club, does he! Also, when most clubs out there are looking at the transfer market for new signings, is it really so surprising that possible transfers don't always run as smooth as we'd like? We all get frustrated, but some of you are just constantly looking for a scapegoat. Grow up, don't be so naive, don't be so negative, and.....................try cracking a smile every now and again - it may not hurt as much as you think.

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callmeted added 14:30 - Aug 9 Bluelady : could be that!! All i'm saying is that the press conference gives no clearer indication than before and yet some people read disaster into everything. RK speaks as football manager and wants more resource. Lets see the results
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CGH added 14:33 - Aug 9 Wouldn't be surprised if we went down to a Marcus Stewart hat-trick...
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andygizmo added 14:41 - Aug 9 Hey it could be worse. we could be up the 140 and looking at the signings they made in a hurry.... Nelson looked like son of donkey docherty!! As has been said. We have to work within our means and if players want too much then we wont get them. Look at what that has done to SHeff weds. leeds portsmouth et al. The market will loosen as more premier clubs buy and the players that dont look as though they will get in the squad of 25 will be looking to move on.. either permanently or on loan. Patience Grasshoppers. Ps I'd rather not know who we are after. alerts other clubs as seems to be the case with Scotland.

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Karlosfandangal added 14:48 - Aug 9 Bit Confused. We are very very unbelieveable close to a signing for the Middlesbrough game, Then two are close to sign for Tuesday, then maybe two or three by Wednesday, Now no nearer. Does that mean we might still get them by Wednesday and nothing has moved on since or we are not close to getting anyone and they are still targets. Wigan's comment make me wonder how close we were to getting Scotland if there are these other clubs after him

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Vic added 14:57 - Aug 9 Agree it's all verty frustrated and wish RK wouldn't tease us all with comments. But listening to Steve Coppel, Gordon Strachan & Billy Davies at the week end it seems that its this way at every club. It seems that money is short everywhere and clubs want players to take a wage drop, which they don't want to do. Who can blame the little darlings - I mean would you want to drop from £12k a week to £8K a week?!!! Mind you, half of it is agents I think. They should all be banned, immediately.

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Eireannach_gorm added 15:07 - Aug 9 In fairness, you cant really get any nearer than 'incredibly close"
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