Barrow AFC's transfer business this summer isn't over yet with manager Ian Evatt making bringing a new centre-back to Holker Street his priority in the weeks ahead.

After last Saturday's arrival on loan of striker Olly Dyson, the Bluebirds signed nine players ahead of the new season, which gets under way at Wrexham on Saturday.

Evatt is pleased with the amount of cover he has in most positions, with the exception of the centre of defence with only Matt Elsdon in the squad able to cover for the first-choice pairing of Josh Granite and Sam Hird.

Youngster Sam Graham featured during pre-season on trial from Sheffield United and while a loan for the 18-year-old remains a possibility, he may not be the only defender that is added to the ranks.

Evatt said: "We need a centre-half, I've made no secret of that and I think that still stands.

"We also need a midfield player, but at the moment a centre-half is definitely the priority.

"I don't think we need just one centre-half, we possibly need two, so we'll see what happens.

"Sam is obviously a young player and a big, aggressive specimen that will only develop and grow, but I think that we need a more experienced one as well."

Whether a new defender is acquired by the end of the week remains to be seen, as does whether veteran David Fox becomes the midfielder Evatt is looking to bring in.

The 35-year-old played in all but the first of the Bluebirds' seven pre-season friendlies and was often a calming influence in the middle of the park, screening the back four.

Fox entered talks over signing for AFC around the same time as fellow trialist Byron Harrison, but although the latter has since made his stay permanent, the future of the former Blackpool, Norwich and Plymouth man is still up in the air,

Evatt said: "He's still here and I think he adds quality to the group, but as I said, our main aim is the centre-half position - that's where I feel we need to strengthen in numbers, as much as anything else, at the moment."

Meanwhile, a planned behind-closed-doors friendly against Championship team West Bromwich Albion has been cancelled.

"I feel like we've played enough games," Evatt said, adding: "We've had seven pre-season games and I think we need to get a lot of work, technically, into the lads this week, in terms of in an out of possession.

"I prefer to work on the training pitch with all of the players together, rather than split them up, and really push and work them hard."