Martin Paterson has made clear that Notts County are not done in the transfer market this summer, with the head coach openly calling for reinforcements as the League One season gets properly under way.

Speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham on 21 August, Paterson used the phrase "we want more" when discussing potential incomings, a refreshingly blunt message from a manager who clearly feels the current group, while capable of holding Leicester City on the opening day, needs strengthening before the schedule gets any heavier.

A point earned, gaps spotted

County drew with Leicester at the start of the campaign, a result that generated plenty of optimism around Meadow Lane, and it is hard to argue the squad does not have a foundation to build on. But Paterson appears to have used the early weeks as a scouting exercise in his own dressing room as much as anything else. The suggestion is that he has identified positions where quality or depth, or both, is insufficient.

The club has already moved outward this window. A recent loan exit saw goalkeeper Reynolds head to Grimsby Town for the season, which at least clears a space on the wage sheet and signals some tidying up of a squad that may have carried surplus bodies from last term. Whether those savings are being funnelled back into recruitment is the obvious follow-up question, and one Paterson's comments rather strongly imply the answer to is yes.

Luton looming

The timing of Paterson's remarks is not incidental. County are preparing to travel to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town, themselves back in the third tier after their well-documented descent from the Premier League. Luton have moved quickly in the window, re-signing Cody Lawrence on a season-long loan and putting four past Reading in an early outing, so the visit represents a genuine test of County's current limits.

Going into a fixture of that profile without the personnel you want is not ideal, and Paterson's public comments could be read as a nudge to the club's recruitment staff and board as much as a statement for supporters. Managers in the third tier rarely have the luxury of keeping transfer discussions entirely behind closed doors; the BBC microphone tends to prompt a more candid account than a pre-match press conference might.

What County actually need

The source does not specify which positions Paterson is targeting, and it would be guesswork to name them here. What is clear from his comments is that the ambition at Meadow Lane has not dimmed. The club entered this season with expectations shaped by that Leicester draw and by a pre-season that suggested they could be competitive at this level rather than merely surviving it.

Recruitment in League One is largely a game of timing and relationships. Loan windows from the Championship and beyond tend to open further opportunities as top-flight clubs finalise their own squads and become willing to release players on temporary deals. County, like most at this level, will be monitoring that pipeline closely.

Whether Paterson gets what he wants before the deadline, and whether it arrives in time to influence the Luton fixture, remains to be seen. For now, at least, the message from the dugout is unambiguous: the squad as it stands is not the finished article, and the club knows it.

Frequently asked

What has Notts County manager Martin Paterson said about transfers?
Paterson told BBC Radio Nottingham on 21 August that Notts County want more signings, indicating the club are actively looking to strengthen their squad during the current transfer window.
Who are Notts County playing next in League One?
Notts County's next fixture is away at Luton Town, with Paterson making his transfer comments in the build-up to that trip to Kenilworth Road.
Have Notts County signed anyone this summer?
County have been active in outgoing moves, sending goalkeeper Reynolds on a season-long loan to Grimsby Town. Martin Paterson's comments suggest further incomings are being pursued.