YORK City boss Russ Wilcox would like to add two more strikers to his squad before the transfer window closes for loan signings on Thursday.

Italian under-20 international Diego De Girolamo is expected to return for a second spell at Bootham Crescent with Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough suggesting he is now ready to sanction that move again.

But Wilcox has also signalled his intention to recruit a target man after being impressed by former West Ham and Aston Villa forward Marlon Harewood for Hartlepool this afternoon despite the hosts being beaten 3-1 by City following goals from Keith Lowe (two) and Jake Hyde.

“I’m absolutely delighted if that’s the case,” Wilcox said of the news that Clough is ready to give his blessing to a De Girolamo return. “But I still think we need another player at the top end of the pitch.

“We need a Plan B to use off the bench or from the start - somebody who can be a handful up there. The club had that with Calvin Andrew last season and I was delighted to see Marlon Harewood go off today because he was a handful all afternoon.

“He could be the kind of player we need to add to the squad – somebody with that physicality at the top end of the pitch to help the lads. They were winning all the first contacts from their goal kicks because of him and that’s something we need to look at.

“Somebody in that mould can be difficult to find and I don’t want to get supporters’ expectations up too much because it’s difficult to get players in at this time. Clubs don’t want to leave themselves short over the Christmas period, but we will be doing our best to see if there’s somebody out there.”