SWINDON Town manager Richie Wellens hopes to conclude more signings before the start of the club’s pre-season programme next week – and have the majority of his squad together before their summer training camp in Spain.

Wellens has so far sealed deals for four new recruits in the off-season, with the arrivals of defenders Zeki Fryers and Mathieu Baudry earlier this week joining previous additions Tyler Reid and Adam May.

The Town squad are due to report back for the start of their summer training schedule on Monday, which begins with two days of fitness testing at Solent University in Southampton.

Wellens is actively working on adding more fresh faces to the group before then.

Swindon play two pre-season friendly fixtures in the first week of July – away at non-league clubs Brimscombe & Thrupp and Swindon Supermarine – before heading to La Manga in Spain for a training camp on July 8.

That trip is viewed as integral to building a unified spirit within the camp, and Wellens hopes to have concluded most of his transfer activity before then.

“I don’t want Monday to come and not have the core of the group together. When Monday comes, I hope we will have 80 or 90 per cent of our signings done and dusted,” said Wellens.

“For the majority of the squad, the main part of pre-season will be when we go to La Manga on July 8. Ideally, I would like everyone in by then.

“That is when we can spend 24 hours together as a group and really bond.”

Wellens is pleased with how his summer business has gone so far, particularly with permanent deals having been wrapped up for a trio of defenders.

Midfielder May, however, has signed on a season-long loan and leaves Wellens with room for four further temporary signings in his squad.

The transfer window closes on Monday, September 2 and the Town boss says he is likely to leave one loan spot spare until late in the window to best assess his needs at that time.

“Things are moving along nicely, especially in terms of our defence. We’ve got two new full-backs and a new centre-back in,” said Wellens.

“I might leave one loan spare until August because you never know what will happen. We might start the season and pick up an injury straight away.

“Now with the changes in the rules where we can make signings up until the end of August, I think it would be sensible to leave a loan free where we might pick up a bargain at the end.”