KARL Robinson is optimistic Oxford United's hard work behind the scenes this summer will start to yield results over the next few days.

It is more than six weeks since the end of the last campaign, during which time the only additions have been teenage defenders Kevin Berkoe and Sam Allardyce.

Seen as players for the future, neither are expected to challenge for a first-team place at the start of next season.

But Robinson insisted it had been a busy period and wants fresh faces on board by the time the squad report for pre-season testing this weekend.

He said: "Hopefully by the time we go in on Saturday 22nd we’ll have a very good nucleus of a team.

"We don’t think we’re too far away from one or two things.

"One involves a small transfer fee, so it’s about getting that right.

"If I was a fan you’d be sat there thinking ‘nothing’s going on’.

"But as a manager on the inside of it, this has probably been as busy as I’ve been on the phone.

"The other Sunday I think there were 20 calls between me and Tiger (chairman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth) in one day.

"If you put (head of recruitment) Mark Thomas into that you’re probably talking 35-40 calls between us – it just shows you how much work goes into it."

While Robinson last month was keen to get as much of his business done before the squad fly to a training camp in Portugal on June 29 as possible, there is also a belief the signings will be worth the wait.

He said: "The players we want, I think everyone knows they’re going to take a little bit longer.

"The problem is the better ones that you want have other options as well.

"So there’s a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, getting contractual things.

"If you’re getting players over the line very quickly it means no-one else wants them."

It is thought Jerome Sinclair remains on United's wish-list, having impressed United after spending the second half of last season on loan from Watford.

The striker was part of a January window where they fared better in the transfer market than during last summer.

And Robinson has praised the preparation which has been done in the recruitment department.

He said: "I want to put on record that Mark Thomas and Ed Denton have been magnificent.

"I really hope people appreciate the work that’s gone in.

"I thought they were brilliant in January and have been so again in this window.

"All the part-time scouts as well, they’ve watched many games and I want to say a massive thank you to them, they’ve dedicated so much effort in the last month."