CITY boss Phil Parkinson will again tap into his vast array of contacts as he continues his search for further new recruits.

Parkinson is a close friend of Newcastle boss Alan Pardew and is also well respected at Arsenal, having worked for the club in a scouting role before taking over at Valley Parade.

The Bantams boss is eyeing the prospect of snapping up Premier League players on loan and he says his contacts could prove invaluable.

Parkinson said: “We are looking to bring in a couple of long-term signings this year and that might not happen until well into pre-season.

“We are working hard to secure that and I speak to Premier League managers all the time.

“I get a lot of positive feedback but generally the same message is that clubs want their players to do pre-season with them and they will then make decisions on them.

“There is an element of risk waiting for those players but, as long as we’ve got the core of the squad in place, then we can afford to do that.”

Parkinson is currently on holiday but his phone remains switched on and he will keep beavering away in his quest for new faces.

“I’ve got a lot of contacts because I’ve been in football for a long time,” he added.

“I speak to managers every single day and have got good connections at Arsenal, so it’s just about keeping tabs on who might become available.

“The World Cup does complicate things slightly but it’s about getting the green light from another manager and then talking the player into coming here. That’s my job.”

Parkinson previously signed Blair Turgott, Curtis Good and John Egan on loan from West Ham, Newcastle and Sunderland respectively, with Turgott and Good playing major parts in City's incredible run to the Capital One Cup final in 2013.