The New Saints boss Craig Harrison insists he and his staff are identifying targets to bolster his record breakers ahead of their assault on four trophies in the second half of the season.

An early January transfer window move for a mystery player plying his trade in Scotland broke down last week, though Harrison expects a deal to be completed in the summer.

But he insisted he and his staff are watching games to improve his squad still further, and wouldn’t rule out improving in ‘one or two positions’.

“We had someone lined up for January, but that’s fallen through,” said Harrison, who celebrated five years in charge last week.

“We were always hoping to bring one or two in. We earmarked one player but that hasn’t come about. It will probably happen in the summer – it’s not like we’ve missed out, it’s just the timing for us and his club was out of kilter.

“I am actively looking for players for the next four or five weeks. My staff and I are going to game after game, and we were all out over the weekend to watch potential players – for example, I went down south with Carl Darlington over the weekend.

“We’re looking long-term and short-term, but we feel there are only one or two positions we need to strengthen. We’d like to bring someone in, but we’ll have to wait and see – we’re only a few days into the transfer window.

“If we can get something done then I’d like to, but at this minute, nothing’s happening.

“The player I had lined up would have come in on January 1, but actually this works out better for us as he’s not played too much recently. He’s going to go somewhere else first and get games under his belt before coming to us in the summer.”

There was some transfer activity at The Venue last week, as goalkeeper Chris Mullock has joined Aberystwyth Town on a permanent basis following a loan spell.

Mullock joined the Saints in 2013 from Cefn Druids, but has been unable to dislodge TNS legend Paul Harrison between the sticks, and leaves with boss Harrison’s blessing and good wishes

He added: “We’ve let Chris go permanently – he’s been brilliantly professional and hasn’t complained once.

“Paul has been so good, and has had such a good injury record over the years. Chris is 28 now and was contracted to the end of the season.

“Aberystwyth contacted me and wanted to offer him a permanent 18-month deal and, more importantly, he’d be their number one.

“I could have held on until the end of the season, but this is an opportunity for the lad to play somewhere that wants him and to be number one. It’s a human decision, rather than a football one.”