YORK City boss Steve Watson believes there is only a “10 per cent chance” that he will add to his squad before today’s transfer deadline.

The window for all 2018/19 deals to be completed closes this evening, not last Thursday as previously understood, with Watson still monitoring two targets.

But it now seems more realistic that the players might be attracted to the Minstermen on season-long loans over the summer and there are not expected to be any outgoings at Bootham Crescent today either. “We’ve been looking at one or two possibilities,” Watson revealed. “Both are players who their clubs have big plans for, and they want them to be in a more competitive environment, but there’s probably about a 10 per cent chance of somebody coming in now.

“We wouldn’t be able to keep the two players we have in mind long-term, but we could maybe get them here on season-long loans next season. In terms of people going out, the ones that have gone on loan (Tom Allan at Alfreton and Jake Wright at Boston) are people who wanted to go out.

“People have contacted me about others, but they’ve not wanted to go, and I can’t force people out so, as we stand, nobody will be going out.”

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to fourth-bottom Guiseley, meanwhile, Watson has revealed that he will not be happy unless his 14th-placed team don’t secure a top-10 finish at the minimum this term.

The ex-Everton defender was left angry by his players’ performances at Gateshead last term when, after guiding the club to safety, only one win was recorded in the last 11 games, including four consecutive defeats to close the campaign.

Feeling people lost focus with seemingly little to play for, Watson won’t accept the same reaction again and warned players, who have deals with the Minstermen next season, not to get in the comfort zone.

Transfer-listing is always an option and, with City’s lowest-ever recorded position in the English football pyramid endured last term when the team finished 11th in National League North, Watson declared: “Finishing in the top ten would be a great achievement for us and me personally from when I started.

“All the players have got something to play for, even those contracted as, just because they have a contract, does not mean they will play a big part in my plans. They’ve got to show me they’re not just sitting on contracts.

“I had a similar situation during the last half-dozen games at Gateshead last year and I was fuming with them at the end of the season, so we will be doing everything we can to make sure nobody knocks off mentally in any shape or form. Players have to continue to focus and I won’t be happy unless we finish in and around that top ten.”

City were 15th in the standings when Watson took over from Sam Collins in early January and, while four consecutive wins under the former England under-21 international raised hopes of a late play-off push, the City manager has admitted that the team, who are two points short of tenth place but nine adrift of the top seven, now probably face a final chance to keep that outside promotion ambition alive as they head for Nethermoor.

“We must keep going in the right direction and, if it gets to the stage where we can look at people like young Nathan (Dyer) and maybe Ryan (Whitley), then that will be beneficial as well,” Watson reasoned. “According to our reports, Guiseley played very well on Tuesday and deserved their win against Curzon Ashton.

“Their two centre-halves looked very strong and their centre-forward was a handful and I know they will be competitive because it’s a huge game for them, but it’s a huge game for us as well. If we don’t get three points out of this one, it will be almost impossible to get where we want to be, and I want one last go to put a run together to get there.”

Adriano Moke’s one-match ban for his red card during Tuesday night’s 3-3 draw at FC United of Manchester will not come into effect until the April 6 home clash with Southport, while Watson expects Macaulay Langstaff and Paddy McLaughlin to shrug off minor knocks, but David Mirfin will not feature for a second successive match at Guiseley and medical guidance is being sought on worrying swelling around the knee that kept him out of the game for more than a year prior to his loan move from Mansfield.

“We’ve got one big injury we’re having to nurse at the moment because David Mirfin is struggling with his old knee injury and it’s not looking good for the weekend,” Watson explained. “I don’t know whether the harder grounds have caused it to start swelling up again and he’s been managing it in training, but you can’t do that in competitive games.

“We’re concerned about it and we’re waiting for some news back about it. I’m hoping Macca will be available, because he won’t want to come out of the team at the moment and we won’t want him to either.

“Paddy usually always makes himself available for selection as well.”