SHAUN Harrad's return to Notts County is currently on hold after the striker failed to reach an agreement over personal terms.
Magpies boss Shaun Derry wanted the former Burton and Northampton forward to boost his numbers in attack with Jake Cassidy and Ronan Murray the only fit strikers at the club.
Harrad has trained with the club over the last week and is seeking a fresh challenge on the back of scoring seven in 14 games for Alfreton last season.
Although Derry has held talks with the 29-year-old, he is yet to strike a deal with the Nottingham-born marksman, who spent three years at Meadow Lane from 2002 to 2005.
"We need to bring some forward players in," he said.
"Unfortunately, at the minute, we can't agree on a deal with Shaun and that's where we currently stand.
"He has a fantastic goals record. I want goalscorers in the team and if we can get Shaun in then we will, if we can't we can't.
"People have got their wishes, but there is not an endless pot of cash and we have to be conscious of that."
Notts' need for further attacking options was laid bare in the 1-0 defeat to Fleetwood as Jamie Proctor's goal just before half-time sealed the visitors all three points.
Notts created very little in the first half and did improve after the break with Adam Dawson and Gary Jones going close.
But they couldn't sneak an equaliser and Derry was disappointed with the performance.
"We wanted to put in a good performance and it was a huge disappointment. I can never guarantee wins, but we'd like to think we can put in performances and that was unacceptable," he said.
"It's massive how you start games and ours was poor. We didn't get in the game at all in the first half and we made it really easy.
"I will take responsibility, it was unacceptable."
