STUART McCall has already identified two targets as City start to turn their thoughts to the upcoming transfer window.

Newly-appointed chief executive Ryan Sparks confirmed the focus is on beefing up the squad in January.

And McCall revealed he has registered an interest with clubs over a couple of potential loan signings.

The Bantams boss admitted talks were at an early stage but he is determined to get things moving after his contract was extended by a further year.

McCall said: “We’ve got to start looking long-term.

“If there’s people we can get on a permanent, then great. But if it’s loans, maybe there are ones who could sign for us at the end of the season.

“We’ve got a couple of areas where we want to strengthen, although you don’t know what’s going to happen in the next month injury-wise so there might be others.

“We’ve got eight games between now and the window opening so then we’ll be in a better position to know.”

City still have some wiggle room within the £1.5 million salary cap after the summer window. But McCall dismissed as “nonsense” any suggestions that his hands had been tied by those above him.

“There is money there,” he added. “It wasn’t a case of us not trying to spend it.

“Of the players we tried to bring in, probably only one of them (Salford striker Ian Henderson) we couldn’t get near financially.”

With only seven of the current players contracted beyond the end of the campaign, McCall has the potential opportunity for an overhaul.

But he believes the fact that his own future has been resolved should act as an incentive for the whole squad.

“They’ve got to focus on doing the best for themselves and the club while they are here.

“Do they want to stay beyond their contracts? It will be down to them to earn it.

“We’ve got seven contracted for next year but that doesn’t mean that some of the others here won’t be getting deals.

“But it does give me personally a longer-term outlook to bring players in.”

McCall is likely to fit in further talks with Sparks next week on recruitment and the plans going forward.

He has no problems working alongside the youngest CEO in the game, who at 29 is 27 years younger than the manager.

McCall said: “I genuinely didn’t realise he was that young.

“I’ve heard him on conference calls and been in on some of the zoom calls. As inexperienced as he may be in terms of his age, Ryan’s certainly had a lot of experience in sport.

“He has come through a lot of things and done a lot. For somebody who is portrayed to lack experience, I think he’s got a lot of knowledge and good ideas.

"He’ll have help from people that he knows, not just at Bradford but from where he’s come through other sports.

“He’ll be able to lean on that experience. You gain it as you go along and Ryan’s doing that.

“I didn’t know him when I came back but I’ve been impressed from what I’ve seen him involved with.”