Crawley manager John Gregory admits he will have to offload players before he is able to sign reinforcements in January.

Gregory is keen to make two or three additions when the transfer window opens to strengthen a squad which has slipped to 20th in the League One table after taking just five points from their last six games.

The Reds boss is keen to re-sign midfielder Keith Keane from Preston following the end of his successful loan spell and could also try to bring back Coventry striker Shaun Miller when his month-long stint finishes on December 28.

But Gregory is aware that he must ship out some underperforming members of his squad in order to free up the necessary funds, having already reached the limit of his playing budget.

Five players – Josh Simpson, Brian Jensen, Conor Henderson, Matt Harrold and Lewis Young – were put on the transfer list in November with Gregory hinting he would also listen to offers for some other fringe players.

Gregory said: “I would love to bring in two or three during the transfer window but to achieve that I think one or two will have to leave.

“There are some I wouldn’t dream of letting go as they are too valuable but some haven’t performed as well as I would have wanted them to so there is a chance they could move on.

“Money is tight at this club and we have to balance the books. All we can do is to find players who want to come to us and if we can get them that far down the road then it is whether we can accommodate them financially.

“If we have to wait until the end of January to get the people we want then so be it. In November we had three or four we thought were going to happen but they didn’t for one reason or another so it is not always easy.”