DEAN Ryan has not ruled out bringing in fresh faces this season to make Worcester Warriors stronger.

The Sixways director of rugby has been boosted in recent days with both centre Alex Grove and full-back Chris Pennell penning new deals with the Aviva Premiership club.

Ryan says more of Worcester’s young crop will follow suit in the near future and he has also identified a wish-list of “four or five” players he would like to recruit.

Although the Worcester chief, who takes his side to Gloucester on Sunday, insists he won’t rush into any new signings, he will be keeping an open mind.

He said: “Some announcements will happen in the next few weeks, when we hope to confirm some of the younger players that we’d like to take with us.

“Once the new year comes around we’d like to broker conversations to be able to bring some additional players in.

“There aren’t 20 Premiership players that want to come here but there are four or five that understand what we’re doing. If we can get that combination of them to add to our existing good guys and then put some youngsters around it, we’ve got the catalyst to start this club growing again.

“I won’t bring anybody in now unless I feel they can significantly add to this team.

“It’s not a great time in the market and we’ve got to stop thinking there’s someone out there that can really add to this team because those that can really add are normally adding somewhere else.

“Those who can’t add tend to be available so I’m not just going to create layers for the sake of it. Our answer sits in this team but if somebody does become available, and circumstances can dictate, then I will look at taking that opportunity.”

Ryan, aiming to mastermind his team’s first win of the season in the Kingsholm clash, which would be their first win at Gloucester since 2009, has also set out his criteria for the type of player he wants in his squad.

“Calibre is only one part and I think personality and character are crucial,” he explained. “This club has taken ability as its main barometer for why people come here and it’s not, it’s a combination. We’re looking at people from the outside that also can add character and real resilience to the club. It’s that which underpins what a rugby club is.

“We haven’t got that right for a long time and we’ve got to go back a little bit to come forward again. Identifying the people who are going to sit in the middle of the club is crucial.”