IAN Evatt could be forced into changes for this weekend’s home opener against Forest Green.

The Bolton head coach revealed “three or four” players had picked up minor injuries in the midweek EFL Trophy defeat to Crewe.

“We have a few injuries,” he told The Bolton News. “Players have come into the squad at different levels of fitness and so when you chuck them in at the deep end they will pick up little niggles.

“I am not going to name names but we have probably got three or four who have picked up knocks which could potentially keep them out on Saturday.”

Evatt has revealed the club is closing in on one new signing – and that he could potentially look to bring in two new players before the transfer window closes next month.

The Wanderers coach has already hinted that a striker is on his shopping list but, referring to his business throughout the summer, he is quite pleased with where his squad currently stands.

“We probably need one or two more,” he said. “We are quite far down the line with one of those, for reasons I can’t really say or speak about he won’t be here just yet. But, in principal, we’re getting there.

“We have found it hard at times to be quick with recruitment because players’ expectations have changed. One minute they are asking for the world and we move on, then all of a sudden this player comes back around again because he hasn’t got a club – but because of the salary cap, our places are full.

"There are challenges with recruitment, but am I happy with the ones we have got? Yes, of course. Do I want more? Yes, I’m a manager. But we will never put this club’s financial future at risk and we’ll do the best to limit the risk in terms of what we’re bringing into the building.”

After two cup defeats, Evatt admits “ears were ringing” at the training ground this morning as he laid down some of his frustrations to the team.

Equally, the Whites boss does not believe major tweaks are needed to make sure three points are on the board immediately against Forest Green this weekend.

“It isn’t easy when a club has not been used to winning games to wave a magic wand and everything be OK again,” he said. “We have chosen to start again with a playing squad and have 17 new players but just because I say it will take a while to see the best of us, it certainly does not mean that we should not be getting results now. We should, and if you take the two proper games into context, we should have got results in both. We didn’t, so there has to be room for improvement.

“It is more minor detail than big things that are wrong.”