Jon Brady: Northampton Town boss says big-spending clubs putting market 'out of kilter'
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Jon Brady is preparing for his third season as Northampton Town boss
Northampton Town boss Jon Brady says big-spending lower-division sides are affecting the summer transfer market for other clubs.
The Cobblers will be back in League One this season after a two-year absence, having won promotion last term.
Brady has so far signed three players - defenders Patrick Brough and Manny Monthe, and forward Kieron Bowie.
"The market's tough at the moment. We do still need to improve the squad," Brady told BBC Radio Northampton.
"We are speaking to players at the moment, but it's a long process.
"It was a lot simpler last year because League Two wasn't how League Two is this year, which has thrown everything out of kilter.
"There are teams with huge financial power in League Two and then you see a huge transfer fee in the National League to York, the striker [Dipo] Akinyemi, it's incredible really, they beat Gillingham to the player.
"On our defensive line, we feel we're strong in our defensive line and we've got some depth there. It's on the midfield and top line that we're working.
"But everybody is trying to get a striker or offensive players to make a difference and that's the hardest thing in the market to try and get."
Northampton lost 1-0 to Championship side Leicester City in a pre-season game at Sixfields at the weekend.
Brady fielded eight trialists during the course of the match because of "a lot of injuries" within the squad.
"We need bodies to help us get through pre-season. There are some we're helping get fit and some we are looking at," he said.
"Overall, I think we've got seven that are working towards fitness, another three who are more injured and one who is longer term and Manny, who needs to be conditioned to get up to speed.
"We are trying to be extra careful this pre-season because we know how long and brutal the season is - we want the players [available] for the longer term, not the short term."