Steve admits he would love to sign Leigh and Ness on permanent deals.

Steve Davis says that our former loan players Jamie Ness and Greg Leigh remain potential transfer targets. The Alex boss has revealed that the club are working through a list of targets but he would like to entice midfielder Ness and left-back Leigh back to the club.

The 24-year-old Ness became a key figure for the club last season and his consistent performances going into the Christmas period and into 2015 saw him voted third choice for the supporters’ Player-of-the-Year.

The 20-year-old Leigh made more appearances than any other loan player in the Football League last season and Davis was impressed with the youngsters’ determination to regain his starting place in the side when he suffered some indifferent form.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “We are still keen on Jamie to come. He is one of a number that we would like to bring in but he still have to resolve what is going on at Stoke. He is still their player.

“We wouldn’t be against someone of that calibre who has played in this league and has ambitions to play higher, they are the right players because they are hungry and they want to do well.

“Greg did well during his loan. For a young lad to play as many games as he did during his first year as a professional should not be underestimated. It was a great achievement and he played ore loan games than anyone else in the league.

"For any young player that next move is important to their careers. By making the right choice he can accelerate it or if he doesn’t stall it. We know we can improve Greg further and hope he makes the correct decision for his career.

Steve added: “We know what we are getting with both of them. They know how we play and what the club is about.”