A  STRIKER will be joining Wrexham this week and Dean Keates is hoping a second will also put pen to paper.

The Reds boss wants to add to his attacking options as Chris Holroyd and Scott Boden are the only two strikers at The Racecourse now that on-loan duo Ntumba Massanka and George Miller have returned to their parent clubs.

Keates, with money available from the Build the Budget fund, says a deal is close to being finalised for the first frontman.

Wrexham return to action at Hartlepool on Saturday and Keates hopes to have recruited a second forward ahead of the Victoria Park showdown.

“I expect a couple of things to happen,” said Keates.

“We have already got one who should be virtually done, it is all agreed and it is just a case of getting it all sorted.

“There will definitely be that one added this week and all being well maybe two.”

Keates revealed that one of the strikers he is hoping to land was a target of his before Miller arrived on a one-month loan from Middlesbrough at the start of December.

“We have only got Scott and Chris,” said Keates. “Obviously George has not long left and Ntumba went the other week.

“We thought there was a possibility at one point of keeping George but there are a couple of league clubs sniffing and we were told it wouldn’t be a viable option for Middlesbrough.

“We had somebody else that I tried to get before I got George, now he has become available and all being well we will be able to pull it off.”

Keates is looking to strengthen his squad in other positions and says a bid has been made to sign a player.

“There is a possibility of more signings before the end of the window,” said Keates. “We have put a bid in for another player and we are waiting to see what happens with that one.”

Although he is closing in on strikers, Keates is pleased with how Holroyd and Boden have been performing.

Boden, who joined Wrexham in the summer following a miserable spell at Inverness, failed to score in his opening 17 league games.

But after opening his Wrexham account with the equaliser in the 4-1 defeat at Macclesfield on December 9, Boden scored his first goal at The Racecourse as the Reds drew 3-3 with Barrow on New Years Day.

Keates felt it was only a matter of time before Boden began to fire for Wrexham.

“It was a bit of a slow start for Scott but I never doubted his quality,” said Keates.

“The reason for it being slow is he virtually had last season off. It wasn’t through injury, it was just the fact he wasn’t part of somebody’s plans and he got put to one side.

“There was no doubt when he got his opportunity he would take it because he has got quality. He has definitely added something to us going forward and he has done well the last few weeks.”