HAKAN Hayrettin says he won't make any rushed purchases to strengthen his Braintree Town squad after the sale of Simeon Akinola to Barnet.

However, the Iron manager does admit that he needs to bolster his midfield options after the loss of five players in the last 11 days.

Akinola departed for the League Two side ahead of Braintree's 3-0 Vanarama National League defeat at Dagenham and Redbridge on Monday, with the Bees reporting that they had paid £40,000 to secure him.

Braintree chairman Lee Harding said that cash from the sale would be used to help Hayrettin secure the club's position in the league, but the manager insists he will wait until the right player comes along at the right price, despite his midfield resources looking stretched at the moment.

"I have spoken to the chairman about the money and if it's there to be spent wisely and we agree to spend it then we'll do it," said Hayrettin.

"But 'm not going to spend it just because it's there.

"It has to be the right player at the right price at the right money and we'll go from there.

"It's not in my back pocket, it's in the club's back pocket and if the club feel it's the right thing to do to give it to me to spend then we'll speak about it.

"I think it was a sensible decision by the club to do what they had to do as Simeon would have walked for free in the summer.

"It's good business and I'm happy for Simeon.

"I feel I've been able to help him improve as a player, especially without the ball and I take pleasure out of that.

"Braintree were the only team willing to put their hand in their pocket when they signed him so it's been good business all round but we have to have a think about it now."

Hayrettin won't want to wait too long, though, after losing five key members of his midfield in the last few days.

As well as losing Akinola to Barnet, the Iron boss has seen loanees Sam Matthews and Monty Patterson return to their respective parent clubs and has Ebou Adams and Reece Hall-Johnson serving three-match suspensions after both were sent off in festive games against Dagenham and Redbridge.

It has left their midfield options stretched ahead of a pair of home league games in the next week - against Chester on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and then Sutton United on Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm) - and Hayrettin said that may force him into bringing in reinforcements.

He said: "Look at the five who have come out; they are all wingers.

"That should indicate something about where I'm looking.

"We need to have a look this week to see what we can do.

"We have lost Sam Matthews to his club (AFC Bournemouth) where we were hoping to keep him, Monty Patterson has gone back to his club (Ipswich Town) where we were hoping to keep him, Simeon Akinola has gone to Barnet, we couldn't do anything about that, and now the two who got sent off are missing three games each.

"So we have five missing from the squad that we had a few days before.

"It's a big blow but that's why they pay me money so I can sort it out I suppose."