Martin Allen hopes to bring a striker to Barnet before the transfer window closes tonight but is no longer interested in adding a centre-back.

The Bees boss had hoped to sign cover for Michael Nelson after he damaged the ligaments and tendons in his shoulder when he dislocated it at the end of December.

However, the veteran defender won’t require surgery as first feared. Alie Sesay has since joined from Leicester City and can play anywhere across the back four.

Allen hopes to have Nelson back within a month and has confirmed to the Times Series he is no longer looking to sign defensive cover.

However, the Bees are in the market for a striker. 

Kevin Lisbie and Aaron McLean both left The Hive this month with Lisbie allowed to move on as Barnet had too many strikers at the time.

Hamstring injuries to Michael Gash and John Akinde have left Allen short of striking options, though, while Matt Stevens has been transfer listed after rejecting the offer of a new contact.

Allen is therefore hoping to add a striker but he could be forced to wait until the Football League’s emergency loan window re-opens if a deal cannot be struck before 11pm tonight.

He told the Times Series: "We've been trying to get a centre-forward in now for a few weeks but we haven't been able to various reasons.

"We will keep trying and knocking on doors. We've got some opportunities which are getting closer and cost money and we need one within a certain location so we don't have to hotel bills.

"Good players want hotels. We just hvae to bide our time, wait, keep asking and hope someone does us a favour."