GREG ABBOTT admits the competition to secure new recruits means he won't speculate on their identity until deals are done.

City made their first signing of the summer this week in snapping up left back Adam Chicksen after he had been released from Charlton.

While fans are eager for news of more potential arrivals, the Bantams head of recruitment insisted he wouldn't been drawn on names before they put pen to paper.

He told the T&A: "At this time of the season, you can’t give your hand away because there are that many people who are chasing the same players.

"I can’t give too much away even though I would love to tell all the fans who we are chasing, who we are likely to get and who we are not likely to get.

"Unfortunately you can’t give that information away as straight and as honest as I want to be with the supporters.

"There are a lot of people at the club who don’t know what’s going on – you have to keep it that quiet and that’s the way it is."

Abbott had hoped to announce a second signing along with Chicksen but the deal has been put on hold due to a complication.

He remains hopeful it will still go through and says the club have a wealth of other targets they are working on.

He said: "It’s an important stage of the season in terms of my role and Stuart’s construction of a new squad with what we have lost.

"We’re just confident we can get the right people in. There are loads of inquiries with some things hotter than others.

"Fans know me well enough to know I would never say things that aren’t happening or send them down the wrong road.

"What I want to do is wait until we are there with signings and then we can tell fans."