AS hard as Oxford United have worked to avoid doing business on transfer deadline day, head coach Michael Appleton is preparing to be involved in Monday night’s rush.

Richard Brindley yesterday became the second new face through the door as the club’s activity in the January transfer window began to finally click into gear.

There was a hope the targets would have been recruited by now, but the reality looks like United will still be out shopping as the 11pm deadline comes into view.

Appleton admitted he had not made any plans to go out on Monday night.

“Have I ‘eck,” the head coach said.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, but ultimately you have to prepare yourself and think it may do.

“It’ll probably be the first time I sleep in about a week and a half on Monday night because one way or the other I’ll either be absolutely delighted or on the other hand at least we’ll know where we are and we can crack on.

“Then again, it never ends because a week later the loan window opens.

“It would just be really nice to wake up on Tuesday morning with three or four new faces in the building.

“Hopefully three of those will be permanent signings who are going to be at the club for the next two or three years.”

The decisions will have an impact on the club for several seasons to come, but the nature of the deadline means they sometimes have to be made in the space of a few minutes.

It is not an ideal environment in which to weigh up significant investments, but for Appleton the hard part is done.

He said: “If it gets to a point of a last-minute decision my mind isn’t going to change whether I want the player or not.

“From my point of view it’s probably a little bit easier because once they’ve been identified and it’s doable, it’s down to the hierarchy of both clubs to try and make it happen.”

The key to United’s plans will be Tyrone Barnett, for whom they have had a significant bid accepted by Peterborough.

The success or failure of that approach is likely to determine the scope of the club’s other business between now and Monday night.

Appleton has been in touch again this week and is banking on the in-demand striker’s successful loan at the U’s earlier this season playing a role in the 29-year-old’s thought process.

He said: “I had more discussions with Tyrone (on Wednesday).

“Whether it gets done, who knows, but the one thing I would say is he’s had a look at where we are and he’s been in the building already.

“He knows the football club, so that decision is solely down to him.

“Hopefully he will decide Oxford United is the right club for him.”

Whoever does come in during the next few days, the hope is they settle as quickly as Joe Skarz.

The only permanent signing of the window so far, he is due to play for the first time at Stevenage tomorrow.

“Joe looks like he’s been here for six or 12 months,” Appleton said.

“I don’t know if that’s respect from the fact he’s been playing in a higher league, but if we can get three or four more of that type of character it’s only going to strengthen us.”