Doncaster Rovers: Ferguson wants minimum of six new players

But he admits the number of players coming in could be dependent on the number going out.

Ferguson has told The Star that he hopes to bring in between six and eight new faces before Rovers begin life back in League Two.

The extent of his recruitment drive, though, will be affected by the number of players he manages to get off the club’s books over the coming weeks.

Ferguson currently has a certain amount of room to manoeuvre with his budget for next season after relegation to the fourth tier activated a series of wage cuts among the playing staff.

And the Scot is keen to start signing players as soon as possible so this week sought clarification from the board that he can start recruiting before players leave.

When The Star asked Ferguson how many players he would like to bring in over the summer, Ferguson replied: “Off the top of my head, six, seven, eight.

“As long as the other ones leave.”

‘Eight or nine’ Doncaster players are looking for new clubs after being told by Ferguson last week that they no longer feature in his plans.

The majority of those players will have at least another year to run on their current contract with Rovers, so there is no guarantee they will move on.

Ferguson wants to move quickly for players and, for starters, is trying to convince Tommy Rowe and Gary McSheffrey to stay on at the Keepmoat Stadium after their impressive loan stints.

Wolves and Scunthorpe United confirmed this week that they have released Rowe and McSheffrey respectively.