WANDERERS might be leaner and meaner next season but the chances are, they’ll also pack a punch.

As the Whites limped disappointingly towards the finishing line in the last few months, Neil Lennon voiced concerns over the level of fitness in some of his players.

Key men, who had been instrumental in hauling the club out of danger when he first arrived, saw performances slide in the New Year.

“We need to get stronger, we need to get fitter, we need to be more robust,” a crestfallen Lennon said on the final weekend of the season. “I looked round the team at Bournemouth and some of them looked lightweight.

“They were heavy-legged and that shouldn’t be the case. Physically, we didn’t look as strong as Bournemouth and that needs to change.

“I’m not looking to fill the team up with heavyweights. But we do need some pace and power, and that’s been the case for a while.”

The Wanderers boss will look to address his concerns by bringing players back early this summer.

Plans are in place for a fitness camp, most likely to take place on the continent, where the squad can be brought up to scratch.

Just how many new faces will be on that trip remains to be seen but the party who do fly out to begin their pre-season preparations will be a much burlier lot than the group who travelled to Sweden 12 months ago.

Lennon might not want a team of heavyweights but having complained that his side lack physicality, particularly in midfield, it is a safe bet that many of his new signings will have some stature.

Rudy Austin, the Jamaican midfielder released by Leeds United this week, has already been linked with a move to the Macron in the national press.

The 29-year-old certainly ticks a lot of boxes but the fact his wage was shed by a club looking to come out of Financial Fair Play restrictions does not count in his favour.

Lennon’s faith in Darren Pratley last season looks to be a good indicator of what the manager wants from his central midfield. With that in mind, the fact the 30-year-old is struggling to reach an agreement on an extended contract must come as a source of frustration.

Pratley had the mobility and muscle that less-imposing options like Jay Spearing and Medo Kamara lacked, hence their quick exit from the first-team picture.

Liam Trotter – a young midfielder with all the right physical attributes to make the same impact that Pratley did – failed to grasp the opportunities he was given.

Lennon liked to use a target man during his trophy-laden years at Celtic and recruited Emile Heskey for just such a reason shortly after arriving at Wanderers.

The veteran is close to signing a one-year extension to stay on next season but with some doubts remaining over Craig Davies’s fitness, he may also look to add a bit of strength to his front line in the next few weeks.

Spanish striker Sergi has been checked out and, on the face of it, looks capable of handling the physicality of English football.

At the back Lennon clearly had concerns over his full-back positions, plugged in each case by players out of position in Tim Ream and Josh Vela, and will want specialists next season.

But there are indications that he also wants to beef up the heart of his defence, especially if captain Matt Mills departs this summer.

Crystal Palace’s Paddy McCarthy filled a gap in the short-term at the end of last season and could be an option if he is allowed to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the Premier League campaign.

Rotherham United skipper Craig Morgan has also been heavily researched. Although the Millers have now offered him a deal to remain at the New York Stadium, Wanderers would fancy their chances of signing him on a free transfer if finances are made available.

With fleet-footed types like Zach Clough and Tom Walker in the squad the Whites would surely never be accused of being heavy hitters. But it looks certain that next season’s squad will be a more imposing prospect, one way or another.