DAVE Artell says he hopes to tie up "one or two" deals in the coming weeks as Crewe's recruitment drive steps up.

The Alex boss says he spoke to a transfer target yesterday and followed that up by talking to the player's agent today (Friday).

Crewe have been linked with Northampton Town's out-of-contract duo Ryan Watson and Lloyd Jones with the midfielder and defender open to offers despite the Cobblers' efforts to retain them.

Artell, unsurprisingly, is keeping his and his staff's moves close to his chest, although he believes the state of this summer's market may encourage players to get fixed up early.

The Alex manager stressed: "We're making progress and we're working hard every day. I've been on the phone to an agent about a player we met yesterday.

"We'll see how it progresses and hopefully we'll get one or two over the line in the next week or two."

The Alex boss says the summer market is different from previous years and players and agents will need to be realistic about their demands. He cites a player Crewe were interested in the last close season who deliberated "too long" and ended up playing League Two football last season.

"The market is fragmented and some players are still commanding value because of who they are are and what they have done," explained the manager. "There are players who believe they command value and that might be correct but there are some who are not going to get that.

"Some agents understand how the market is and that clubs are tightening their belts. I think there are going to be some players who are going to be in a whole lot of trouble later in the summer because there are lots of clubs who aren't going to be taking 26 players (former squad size).

"Clubs like Ipswich and Sunderland are going to be spending money and Shrewsbury will be one of them.

"But if I was a player I wouldn't be overdemanding in my demands and I would make sure I get done [contracts] early."

The Crewe boss is adamant he can better last season's 12th-placed finish and insists no-one will be able to persuade him otherwise that the club cannot target a play-off place next term.

"I'll argue with anyone who says we can't get into the play-offs. I truly believe we can and that is what we're going to aim for," said Artell.

"We were eight points outside the play-offs last season and we should have had more points, for example against Ipswich away and Gillingham at home, that would have made up the difference."

• Two Alex players have received international recognition in recent days. Tommy Lowery has taken part in a five-day Wales training camp near Cardiff as the Dragons boss Robert Page steps up preparations for next month's Euro 2020 finals.

Wales are due to announce their 26-man squad for the tournament on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Donervon Daniels has been included in Montserrat's plans for World Cup qualifiers' against US Virgin Islands and Grenada at the start of next month.