DAVE Artell is preparing for a busy summer as he anticipates a higher than usual turnover of players at Gresty Road.

The Crewe boss started squad-building plans for the 2021/22 campaign with his backroom team and the club's board as soon as the transfer window shut on February 1. And while attention has turned to a quartet of key players who fall out of contract in the summer, he says there is other work going on behind the scenes with other players too.

It is understood talks to extend the stays of Mikael Mandron and Omar Beckles, both of whom signed initial one-year contracts when they joined Crewe last summer, are ongoing with one deal close to being agreed.

Callum Ainley's future is also due to be discussed, but attempts to get Ryan Wintle to extend his stay beyond June when his current deal expires are fading.

"It's not for want of trying and hopefully we will have some positive news early next week," said Artell. "But there's other things going on in the background, it's not just contract talks with three out of those four.

"We have already started the preparation work for the summer because there is going to be a higher turnover than normal. It's a busy time for us and the games are just part of it, they're not the sole focus.

"There's no director of football or chief executive at this football club, so it's busy. You get a five-minute break from the transfer window and then it all starts again. If you don't do the work then you don't tend to have the opportunities you would do in the summer."

The Alex boss hinted in Thursday night's fans' forum that the numbers of those leaving Gresty Road next summer might number "6, 7 or 8" compared to a typical close-season turnover of "3 or 4".

As well as Wintle, Mandron, Beckles and Ainley, who is currently sidelined, other first teamers who will be out of contract in the summer are Chris Porter, Olly Lancashire and Eddie Nolan, although the Irishman is out on loan at Motherwell.

The futures of youngsters Travis Johnson, Regan Griffiths, Tyreece Onyeka and Nathan Woodthorpe are also up for discussion.

After Billy Jones cut short his loan spell to return to Rotherham for treatment for a serious knee injury, there is an opportunity for Johnson to make the right-back berth his own for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old is set to make his 11th start for Crewe at Swindon tomorrow (K.O 3pm) and Artell believes he can follow in the footsteps of the departed Perry Ng, who cemented his place on the right of the back four.

"Travis is a young lad who's had a tough upbringing and he doesn't half work hard. But he's beyond finding his feet as he's played some games last year." noted Artell.

"We've already seen distinct progress from Travis from game to game and he's played eight to 10 games this season. It's not as if he's not a full novice, but he's still treading carefully.

"I've told him there's no reason why he can't be as good as Perry (Ng). That's the aim and we've told him that there's no reason why we can't develop him if he continues working hard and doing the right things.

"That's the plan for Travis and we're more than happy with the season he is having - he's got games coming up he'll be involved in and the ball is in his court."