KARL Robinson is chasing attacking signings with the ‘X factor’ – but is not expecting to get another deal over the line until after Oxford United return from Ireland.

The squad’s defensive resources have been bolstered in the past week with the signings of Tony McMahon and Luke Garbutt.

Cameron Norman, another full back, joined in May, while goalkeeper Simon Eastwood also committed himself to a new deal.

Robinson is still targeting up to half a dozen new recruits and, apart from a defensive midfielder, all will be aimed at increasing United’s firepower.

The United boss said: “My main priority was to get the goalkeeper sorted and then move on to the back line.

“We had to make sure the defence was unified and strong and then we can build on that.

“Any house has to have very firm foundations.

“Sometimes we can forget about the defending and we always just worry about the strikers.

“We still need to find a holding midfielder and then we need to go and get players with the ‘X factor’.

“We’ve spoken to a few players. We believe we’ve got two or three deals done.”

Those arrangements are loans which are reliant on parent clubs giving the final go-ahead, so Robinson is having to be patient.

And the U’s boss is not expecting any to drop until after they return from the pre-season training camp in Ireland.

He said: “The players we’re after are away with their parent clubs during pre-season.

“We’ll have more news by the back end of next week.

“Hopefully we’ve got seven days to get one or two over the line.

“We’re just waiting for those teams to get what they need before we can get it done.”

United are particularly short on centre forwards, with Wes Thomas, Agon Mehmeti and Gino van Kessel released after the end of the last campaign.

That leaves just Jon Obika, who scored seven goals during the 2017/18 season, as the squad’s only senior striker.

They have been linked with a move for Reading’s Sam Smith.

The 20-year-old scored twice in 13 appearances for the Sky Bet Championship club last season and is thought to be available on loan, but only once a replacement is signed.