BOSS Lee Bradbury is confident he will add to his Cherries squad ahead of the transfer deadline – with Daily Echo sources suggesting he will revive his interest in Matt Tubbs.

Cherries were last week thwarted in their attempt to sign Tubbs after tabling a bid – believed to have been in the region of £500,000 – for the Verwood-raised striker.

Tubbs, who has been a key figure in Crawley Town’s recent rise, hit the headlines on Saturday when he netted the only goal of their FA Cup fourth round giant-killing of Hull City.

However, despite Crawley’s involvement in the FA Cup, Tubbs is high on Bradbury’s wish-list and Cherries will be hoping to prise him from the League Two high-fliers.

Bradbury, who last week also received a rebuff from Brighton frontman Will Hoskins, has until 11pm tomorrow to make any further permanent signings.

Asked by the Daily Echo whether he thought he would beat the deadline, Bradbury, who has been working closely on player recruitment with director Tom Mitchell, replied: “I would like to think so.

“We have been working hard on it and will continue to do so but you never know. It is increasingly difficult but I do feel the last couple of days of the window will be really active, not just for us but for everyone.

“It was frustrating last week because we had been hoping to improve the squad but it proved difficult. Clubs with players who are doing well want to keep them, either to try to stay in their division or to try to get them out of their division. If you want to take the best players, you are going to have to pay the price.”

Despite reports to the contrary last week, Bradbury claimed Cherries had not made offers for either Wycombe striker Stuart Beavon or Colchester midfielder Anthony Wordsworth, although both players are believed to be on his radar.

Another striker still in the frame is Coventry’s Cody McDonald, even though a move for the 24-year-old has been put on hold due to injury. Cherries had been hoping to complete a permanent move for the player after agreeing a fee with the Sky Blues earlier this month.

Asked about the prospect of resurrecting a deal for McDonald once the loan window had reopened next week, Bradbury said: “At this moment in time, he is injured and I don’t know for how long.

“He is somebody I like. He is a good player and had a good record last season at Gillingham. It is a possibility but it is a long way off and we will cross that bridge if and when we come to it.”

Meanwhile, although former Cherries boss Eddie Howe, now manager at Burnley, and Derby’s Nigel Clough were among the crowd to see Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Chesterfield, Bradbury was adamant no players would be sold ahead of the deadline.

“None of the players are going anywhere,” he said. “We are in a position now where we are keeping our best players. We are trying to push up the league ourselves and trying to push into the next league. Selling our players would be a negative step and we want everything positive. The board has backed me with that so it is great.”