CITY insist the current absence of a manager will not leave them playing catch-up in the summer market.

Derek Adams is expected to fill the vacancy after steering Morecambe into League One for the first time in their history.

Nothing has been said publicly by either party but it is understood that the Scot has always been the target earmarked by the club to take over since Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars were removed from their joint role in charge.

That happened straight after the final game of City’s season – a 2-0 defeat at Morecambe – and the club have been waiting to name their replacement since.

But chief executive Ryan Sparks stressed the recruitment process has been continuing as normal as they gear up for another summer overhaul with the squad.

He said: “We obviously do have the recruitment team at the club, which has clearly been well-documented.

“Work is very much ongoing. We’re not going to be behind others.

“The season in League Two and League One has only just finished at the weekend with the play-offs.

“There are a number of clubs who will have been waiting until they have full clarity on the market.

“We’re one of them anyway and there are players that we are monitoring.

“There are players of interest to us that have been involved (in the play-offs).

“We’re comfortable with the position we are in and don’t feel we are behind anyone at this stage.

“Lee Turnbull is doing a great deal of work with the scouts and analysts and we’re preparing to commence the recruitment cycle.”

Having finished 15th, the Bantams released nine out-of-contract players and currently have no senior strikers on the books. They made new offers to Sam Hornby, Matty Foulds, Kian Scales and Jorge Sikora.

As previously reported in the Telegraph & Argus, Adams was interviewed for the City job in December before the club decided to stick with Trueman and Sellars.

But it is understood that Sparks took a lot from speaking to Adams and part of that interview process involved the 45-year-old outlining what his plans would be for the squad in the long term.

That may well have influenced the thinking with the end-of-season departures and the names being suggested to come in.

The Bantams have already been strongly linked with Morecambe centre forward Cole Stockton and utility player Oscar Threlkeld, who was released by Salford after previously playing regularly for Adams at Plymouth.

City are yet to make their first move of the window but have been actively talking to and lining up potential targets.

Sparks does not believe the absence of a manager has hindered the discussions that have been held so far.

“I’ve not sensed any uncertainty,” he added. “Not having anyone in the building doesn’t make it as straightforward as you’d like obviously but I’m still confident it won’t have any effect on our plans.

"We’ll be making announcements in terms of recruitment in the early parts of June.”