Oxford United are looking to seal two new signings before pre-season training begins next week.

The U’s have made formal approaches to a pair of midfielders with Football League experience and are expecting answers from the duo, who are free agents, in the next few days.

It has been a quiet summer at the Kassam Stadium, with Sean Rigg the only player to join so far in the close season.

But United boss Chris Wilder is optimistic the squad will have more new faces by the time they get together for the start of pre-season on July 6.

He said: “We have a couple of offers in there and we’re just finding out if we can get them accepted.

“It’s a waiting game, hopefully in the next week or so we would like to get both players in for pre-season training.

“It’s come to the stage where they have to make decisions.”

Strengthening the middle of the park is now Wilder’s main priority, with little room for manoeuvre in other departments.

Defensively the only scope for change is likely to be in providing Damian Batt with competition at right back, and with Bristol Rovers’ move for James Constable appearing to go quiet, United have seven attackers.

The U’s manager said: “If you look at it Paul McLaren’s gone, which frees that area up, and Asa (Hall)’s left as well.

“At the moment we’ve got Peter Leven, Adam Chapman, Andy Whing and Simon Heslop in there but we ran with five or six midfielders in the squad last season.”

And with pre-season training looming, the transfer market is expected to intensify.

Wilder said: “Speaking to a lot of people it feels like it’s just starting to speed up now.

“Players are looking to finalise their options before pre-season starts – every club’s back at about the same time and we’d like a couple of new players to be in with us.”