NEWPORT County AFC boss Terry Butcher is still confident of signing new players before the season kicks off this weekend, but has ruled out loan deals with Cardiff and Swansea City in the short-term.

The Exiles begin their League Two campaign at Cambridge United on Saturday, with Butcher hopeful of adding more players, believed to be a central midfielder and a central defender, though he’d also ideally like to add a third striker.

County are close to reaching their limit for the playing budget, which has been drastically reduced this season after Les Scadding’s departure from the club.

And Butcher admits it has been frustrating trying to bring in additional faces.

“We are not yet at our limit, we still have some pennies to play with,” Butcher told Argus Sport.

“We do have a little bit left and we do want to spend it, it is not a case of us holding out to try and maximise value, it’s dragged on a bit.

“We know who we want, we have our targets, but it is a case of whether we can get it done before the first game.

“Ideally, of course, it is better for us to do it now, because we want to bed the players in.”

Butcher admits County’s small squad intensifies the pressure on getting recruitment spot-on.

“We are in a very different situation to a club like, for example, Luton Town,” he said.

“They’ve probably now assembled a squad where they have three players for every position, whereas for us, at times in pre-season, it has felt more like having one player for three positions!

“We can’t be gambling with money in terms of our recruitment. We need to have absolute 100% confidence in the players we sign.”

And because of that, Butcher admits it’s unlikely we will see any loan players arriving imminently from Cardiff and Swansea, County under previous boss Justin Edinburgh utilising both clubs on numerous occasions.

“We have had talks with both Cardiff and Swansea, it was important to do so,” Butcher said.

“We talked about various potential signings, but at the moment, nothing is right for both parties.

“There are players available on loan, but the clubs want a fee for certain players, and we can’t afford that.

“There are also players who wouldn’t cost anything or very much at all, but the parent clubs obviously want certain guarantees that they will get game time.

“And at the moment, we don’t feel able to offer those guarantees.”

Butcher believes County are an attractive destination for transfer targets, because they know they won’t be signed to sit on the sidelines.

“We are in a position where the players in our first team squad, they can be guaranteed game time,” Butcher explained.

“There will be every chance for players here to force their way into the team and once you get in, battle to stay in.

“Everyone is determined to make their mark and any players we do sign will need to match that desire.”