Boss expects influx especially if Beckles & Wintle elect to leave.

David Artell is expecting a big rebuild job this summer and says that the number of new faces arriving could be as high as 10.

The Alex boss announced his retained list yesterday and it included the departures of senior professionals, Eddie Nolan, Olly Lancashire and Daniel Powell.

He is still waiting on decisions from the likes of Chris Porter, Ryan Wintle, Omar Beckles and Callum Ainley.

The Crewe Alexandra manager told the club’s official website: “It is important that we look to improve all over the pitch. We will look at all positions and it is all about trying to find good players.

“It is up to us to find the best players we possibly can and try to cover as many bases as we can.

“It is difficult to put a number on it. I really don’t know at the moment because we have some issues to tidy up with a few of them but it could be 8,9, 10 and what happens if we receive a bid for one that we cannot turn down? That then becomes 11 or 12.

“We will also have to work on our own and improve them. We always use the pre-season to do that and get the work into them and if we can complement them with some new additions then we have the basis of a good squad again.

He added: “The aim of recruitment is to try and get better than what you have chosen to release and that is what we will try and do.”