PAUL Jewell has admitted talking to Manchester City coach David Platt over possible loan deals – but has dampened down speculation linking him with Israeli international winger Gai Assulin.

Town were this week linked with a loan move for Assulin, who is set to be allowed out on loan by the Premier League frontrunners.

But Jewell said: “We have asked about a lot of players and I spoke to David Platt on a few occasions about players. But we won’t be pursuing that (Assulin) at the moment.”

Jewell also confessed to being at Sheffield United’s home match against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night where he stressed he was looking at more than one target, having initially been rumoured to be monitoring 22-year-old defender Matt Lowton.

But the Town boss said he was looking for players in the long-term as well as this season, explaining: “We want young, hungry, vibrant players to be in this team – that’s the way I want this club to go. At the moment our team is very experienced but for the future we have got to bring in some young legs.”

A decision on keeper Marek Stech, the Czech Republic Under-21 international who has been on trial at Town from West Ham, is expected in the next few days.

Jewell said: “He has done okay. Everyone thought a couple of years ago that he was going to be West Ham’s number one, but he has not kicked on.

“We will sit down and talk to see if we want to take it any further and then make a decision.”