John McGrath says striker Will Harris remains a Halifax player and that he's in his plans amid speculation on his future.

Harris, who scored 26 goals for The Shaymen last season, has been linked with a move away from The Shay, with reported interest from fellow National League club Hartlepool United in his native north-east.

But McGrath says he is planning on the forward being part of his squad.

"We're aware of interest in Will Harris but as it stands, he's a Halifax Town player and I'm looking forward to working closely with him," said the Town boss.

On whether there had been much interest in anyone else in the Halifax squad, McGrath said: "We've had a couple of rumours, a couple of phone calls regarding players but nothing concrete, so I'm working with the squad we've currently got and I've earmarked all of them for our June 29 return."

McGrath's first signing, centre-back Mackenzie Maltby, was announced last weekend, signing a two-year deal with an option of anothr year.

"Mackenzie was somebody I'd earmarked when I first got the job," said McGrath.

"He's an exciting young centre-half who had a good loan spell away at Scarborough and played in the Championship this season for Sheffield Wednesday.

"He's got good experience for somebody so young, but we wanted to go for young, enegetic players for the majority.

"Yes, we'll need some older heads and some experience but Mackenzie was somebody we chased over the first couple of weeks when I got the job.

"I met him a couple of times and I know he had a lot of suitors who were in for him but he loved the project that we spoke about. Really pleased to get him over the line.

"Loads of development left in him. He's only young, he's got some good experience behind him, but his future will hopefully take him back up into the realms of the Football League."

McGrath says another new signing will be announced this week and there are another two or three potential signings that are "really close" to being finalised.

"We've got irons in the fire," he said.

"The ones I wanted are the ones I'm holding out for. I've obviously got twor or three targets in every position I need but I'm taking my time over my first targets.

"It was always going to be a bit of a build, with three or four choosing to leave and I wanted to go a different route with two or three as well.

"So there is going to be a rebuild but I didn't want mass changes, I wanted to keep the nucleus of the squad together because there's a good core of ten or 12 players there.

"I want to add to that, I'm going to add quality that I believe will fit Halifax Town and the style I want to play.

"All incomings will add quality to the squad, which hopefully we can build before we start back on June 29 for pre-season."

On the recent departures of centre-backs Adam Adetoro and Jevon Mills, McGrath said: "Both were in their option years.

"I spoke to Adam and he asked if I could not take his option up because he had some interest elsewhere.

"I wasn't sure on him. Jevon was a bit different, I quite liked him but again, I just felt that with Shaun Hobson contracted, who I really like, and I was looking to bring in two new centre-halves of my own.

"Mackenzie is over the line and I'm looking to bring in another so I just felt maybe he was going to get more game-time away from us."