STUART McCall has players on his radar for next season – but is unlikely to take it any further until City know when that might begin.

Reports are linking the club with a permanent move for Callum Cooke after his Valley Parade loan spell.

But that talk is premature for a midfielder whose previous wages at Peterborough were understood to be well above what City will realistically be willing to pay in the current financial scenario.

It is believed the Bantams were paying less than half of Cooke’s wages last term after Gary Bowyer secured a deal to take him in August.

Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony publicly questioned why they did not push to make the 23-year-old a full signing during the January window.

But City were quite happy to continue contributing a proportion of his salary for the remainder of the season rather than taking on the amount he had been receiving from his League One parent club.

McCall confirmed that there had been no talks with Cooke.

“I don’t know what the rumours are,” he said. “I had a really good chat with Callum weeks and months ago when the lads on loan were going and he fully understood.

“I wished him well for whatever his future was and said, ‘who knows, we might work together again one day.’ But we haven’t spoken since.

“I was with him for a short period and he got injured first game. But I liked his attitude and the way he went about things.

“I wouldn’t say we wouldn’t be interested but I’ve not heard anything since.”

The budget for 2020-2021 is expected to be a reduced one compared with the £2.6 million that runs through to the end of the month.

The prospect of a salary cap being imposed by the EFL could see it cut as low as £1.25 million, one of the figures that has been widely reported.

City have already released 11 players as well as the loanees such as Cooke and winger Dylan Connolly, another free agent after Wimbledon let him go.

Across the board in League Two, any future offers for players are likely to be well down on what they might have expected before the game’s financial crash.

McCall has already warned that recruitment this summer may not be as hectic as some fans might have expected.

He intends to work with a smaller squad than before – and already has 14 under contract. City also want to keep Richard O’Donnell if a future agreement can be struck.

City are only expected to firm up any interest in possible recruits once they are clear on the dates to work towards.

As it stands, the earliest suggested start for next season is the end of August. The middle of September onwards looks more likely but that will all depend on the remainder of the current campaign passing off without problems.

Cooke is on the market after Peterborough decided against triggering a one-year option on his contract.

He enjoyed his time with City, featuring in 27 games, and was a popular figure on and off the pitch.

Cooke was mainly used in a holding midfield role by Bowyer and did not score for the club.

But his shot was deflected in by Lee Novak for the first goal on McCall’s return against Grimsby.

Unfortunately, a back injury then limited him to only one more start for the present boss – in what proved to be the final game of City’s season at Salford.