Swindon Town are close to completing their first signing of the summer transfer window

Whilst Swindon had brought in new players before the end of May in each of the last two summers, their progress has been slightly slower this summer.

The Adver understands that, because Ian Holloway and his staff are trying to identify six key players to add onto the group of 19 that are presently contracted at the Nigel Eady County Ground, rather than undergoing a full rebuild, they are being far more granular in their approach to whittling down their list of targets.

Lots of attention is going into the character and personality of each player, to make sure that they have the right blend of leadership and drive in the squad, with Holloway having said that he “didn’t like” the squad by the end of last season, and needed people who would “die for the club.”

However, the wait for the first addition is likely to be nearing an end, with The Adver understanding that Swindon are confident that they will have a deal over the line by the end of the week.

With endless possible options having been reviewed, Town are hopeful that they will have the Is dotted and Ts crossed shortly.

The focus of this window is largely going to come in midfield and defence, with Swindon’s end-of-season review having highlighted these areas as the ones that are in the biggest need of improvement.

Within this, there is the desire to add greater athleticism to the squad to fit into a playing style that will be based around high-energy pressing, and more “heavy metal football” than the more confused arrangement that characterised the second half of last season.

Holloway said of his hopes for the summer: “The second half of the season really tested our campaign, and now it’s about making sure we learn from that and improve in the areas we need to.

“We need to build on our resilience, and I’ll be working hard on the character of my group, making them physically and mentally stronger so we can deal better with the challenges a season brings.

“We already have a strong core of players under contract, and as a football club, we have a clear vision of what we need going into next season. The goal hasn’t changed; we want to build a squad capable of winning promotion and giving our supporters a team they can be proud of.”

There is also a hope that Swindon will be able to change the age profile of the squad over the summer and find more players in their prime years who can provide a balance between energy and experience.

Gavin Kilkenny, Aaron Drinan, Paul Glatzel, Danny Butterworth, and Will Wright were the only players who fitted into that category last term, leaving Swindon with something of a talent doughnut, and Holloway often mentioned that he struggled to find the balance he wanted in his team, especially once the injuries hit.