DEAN KEATES admits his hands could be tied in the January transfer window until the takeover of the club is completed

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are expected to take control at The Racecourse this month, with the actors pledging to invest £2million immediately when they become owners.

Keates is looking to strengthen his squad to give the promotion challenge a boost and he has identified targets.

But the Reds' boss admits he might have to wait until the deal to buy the club is completed before completing any new signings.

"Will additions happen before things get sorted above us? I don't know," said Keates.

"I have had conversations and I have put a list together of what I feel we need to add to the group.

"We are in a better situation than we were in the previous window because there is the possibility of the investment coming so that opens up a lot.

"We have gone with what we have got this season and we had to cut our cloth accordingly.

"We are fan owned and what income we get is generated through the turnstiles etc, but obviously not a lot of money has come back in through what has happened with the pandemic.

"Going into January, the opportunity when the takeover happens and the investment comes in, it opens up different avenues for us and adding different personnel."

Keates is quick to point out that not all of the £2million that Reynolds and McElhenney have vowed to invest will be spent on new signings.

"I think that needs highlighting and that needs stating," said Keates.

"It is pretty obvious that £2million is not just going to fall into the first team budget.

"It is to safeguard the club's future.

"What is made available to me, hopefully there is a good slice of that, and that is to give us a chance for this season to go forward.

"There are going to be lots of ups and downs, it is always a rollercoaster with this football club."

Fresh faces are needed after 2020 ended with a 2-0 defeat against Stockport County.

Two early goals in a one-way first half sealed Wrexham's fate with the Reds slipping down to 15th in the National League after suffering a third loss in four outings.

Keates admits the performance was not acceptable and he is demanding an improvement when his side return to action at home to Woking on Saturday in the first game of the new year.

"I can't legislate for that against Stockport, it was not good enough on our behalf and we just need to find a little bit of consistency in our performances," added Keates.

"We are putting in a decent performance then putting in a performance from nowhere that isn't good enough.

"We take the blow of what has happened, it is another enforced break but it is a chance for me to work on things and make sure when we go out against Woking, the standard of the performance is where we have set down at Yeovil, Sutton at home and Hartlepool away.

"We need to get back to where we were."