Hereford United manager Graham Turner says his efforts to bring the Southend striker Gary Hooper to Edgar Street are at a delicate stage.
Turner has already improved his offer for the player but says the deal is far from being settled.
"It's something that has been ongoing for some time and I was very optimistic that it would go through," he said.
"But I think it's right in the balance at the moment," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
It is thought that a number of other clubs are interested in signing Hooper, with Scunthorpe United believed to be in talks with the Roots Hall club.
One player who is now very unlikely to be at Edgar Street next season is defender Trent McClenahan.
The full-back was offered a new contract at the end of last season, but is yet to reply to that offer and Graham Turner says the Australian does not figure in his plans for the coming campaign.
"I'm talking to a Championship club with a view to taking a goalkeeper on a season-long loan and I'm hoping that will go through"
"But I would think it would be highly unlikely now that we would see Trent back here for next season."
Meanwhile, Graham Turner has said he is planning to use the loan system to cover the goalkeeping vacancy created when Wayne Brown opted to join Bury.
"I'm talking to a Championship club with a view to taking a goalkeeper on a season-long loan and I'm hoping that will go through.
"There are a number of goalkeepers at Premiership or Championship clubs that managers are prepared to let out on loan and some of them are quite impressive," said Turner.
United are also looking at former Fulham striker Bradley Hudson-Odoi with a view to a possible contract.
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