PEP Clotet will only consider adding to Oxford United’s squad during the January transfer window if the quality is right.

Clubs can sign players from Monday and the U’s held a meeting yesterday to decide their strategy for next month.

Chairman Darryl Eales’s programme notes for Saturday’s game against Wigan Athletic revealed the club had a target of adding “two or three” new faces.

The 7-0 defeat which followed suggested more work was required to a group which has had to absorb long-term injuries to skipper Curtis Nelson and Rob Hall, plus the retirement of Christian Ribeiro, since the window closed in August.

Clotet has instructed the recruitment department to provide him with a shortlist of three players in each position, but insisted the focus must not be on quantity.

He said: “The club is working hard on being able to provide options that I will analyse.

“If there are good options becoming available we will always consider it, but as I’ve told the club it has to be quality.

“The important thing is the talent is there – we will then analyse it case by case.”

United’s recruitment department have had considerable success in recent seasons.

But they took a different direction during the summer after Clotet’s appointment, with the Spaniard’s contacts in Europe broadening the search.

Of the half-dozen overseas players recruited, only left back Ricardinho has been a regular and the focus this time is closer to home.

Clotet said: “They (the recruitment department) are mainly looking in England at the minute.

“We have meetings this week and next week to analyse their job.”

The big question which is yet to be answered is what United are prepared to spend next month.

Marvin Johnson left in a move believed to be worth £2.5million on deadline day in August – too late for the U’s to reinvest.

At the time, Eales said: “Pep has resources available to invest but, wisely in my view, felt that value was not available in this window.

“I am sure in subsequent windows, we will rebalance this equation.”

Nelson’s injury means United are unlikely to be fending off approaches from bigger clubs for their key assets.

But Clotet wants to be prepared for every eventuality after his experience in the summer.

He said: “You never know.

“Since I came here the first thing the club did was to sell (John) Lundstram and Marvin Johnson, despite saying they would not do it.

“So you have to be prepared in case something happens.”