Yates is preparing for his first full season in charge of Cheltenham

Cheltenham boss Mark Yates has revealed he is nearing success in his pursuit of signing another central defender.

The Robins currently only have four players on their books whose favoured position is in defence.

"I'm prepared to wait for a couple of days to get the one I want, I want to get it sorted and I think it will be," Yates told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"But there's a slight hitch at the moment and I'm hopeful that it'll be concluded soon."

Cheltenham have currently got 18 players under contract for the coming season and Yates has publicly said he is looking at getting three more in.

In addition to a centre-half, he has pinpointed at least one centre-forward and possibly another after that.

Although he refuses to name the first striker he is chasing, Yates is prepared to admit he is looking for a long-term loan deal which would benefit the player and his parent club, as well as Cheltenham.

He said: "I think he'd just be good for where we're going, how we want to play, he'd complement what we've already got.

"I know he's a good player and I know he'd score goals at this level, so I'm waiting and I should hear more by the end of the week whether it could happen or not."

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