Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris reveals ‘a couple’ of loan approaches have been made in bid to bolster squad

Neil Harris has revealed that Cambridge United have made ‘a couple’ of loan offers for players.

The U’s head coach has made no secret of his desire to bolster the attacking options at his disposal during this month’s transfer window as he looks to cover the long-term injury-enforced absences of Gassan Ahadme and Fejiri Okenabirhie.

And while there is stiff competition for fresh faces – particularly at the top end of the pitch – at this time of year, United have set the wheels in motion.

He said: “It’s always tough because you guys (the media) have to ask, I bumped into some fans at the petrol station and they asked me. My mum asked me yesterday! Everyone is going to be asking what we’re doing – the lads have asked me as well.

“We’re full throttle, 100 miles per hour. I cannot praise Paul Barry (majority owner), the board and Ben Strang (sporting director) enough for the support they’ve given and the attitude we’re adopting to try and get players in.

“We’ve put offers in for a couple of players, loan players to take. But part of the issue for us with loan lads is we’ve come quite late. People have lined these up since October, November time and even the start of December.

“The injuries have hit us at the end of December, which puts you behind the eight ball a little bit.

“We’re working as quickly as we can, but again, the board has been brilliant. Something will fall our way and for me, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

No new faces will arrive before Saturday’s trip to Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup.

The visit of Fleetwood Town is next up after that on January 13 and Harris is more hopeful that a new recruit will have arrived by then, as well as potentially having Elias Kachunga back available to lead the line following a stint out with a hamstring problem.

He added: “The big bonus for Fleetwood would be to have a couple of people back fit in the squad.

“Then, secondly, if we can get somebody in the building that would be huge for the group.

“I’m not prepared to sit and make any promises that we can’t keep as a football club, that would be wrong.

“We’re looking at nine days in advance, but to have someone like Kach back fit would be hugely important for us.

“Then if we can add at least one in the window before then we’d be getting back to a really strong position as well.”