Nigel Clough says Burton Albion may not make a new signing this summer if the players offered new contracts stay on for next season.

The Brewers have offered deals to Tom Naylor, Damien McCrory, Jake Buxton, Hope Akpan, Lloyd Dyer and Harry Campbell, with the sextet's current contracts set to expire next month.

At this stage, Albion have 13 players with first-team experience under contract for the 2018-19 campaign, while youngsters Marcus Dinanga, Reece Hutchinson, Callum Hawkins and Jack Livesey are also available.

Burton's budget will be lowered following their relegation to League One, and the make up of the squad will reflect that.

Burton Albion have offered deals to six out-of-contract players, including Lloyd Dyer
Burton Albion have offered deals to six out-of-contract players, including Lloyd Dyer

And after making 25 summer signings over the past two years preparing for the Championship, the Brewers look set for a much quieter transfer window this time around.

Asked how close Albion would be to their ideal numbers if all six of the out-of-contract players signed up for another season, Clough said: "We would be very close to it.

"If we manage to get them all signed up, depending on who stayed in the ones under contract, it might be that that's what we go with.

"That's fine with us.

"There might not be a new face coming in. There might be a loan, maybe.

"But there are four young players, if you include Will Miller as well, who hasn't got much experience.

"There's Joe Sbarra, Ben Fox and Marcus Harness.

Will Miller in action for Burton Albion
Will Miller in action for Burton Albion

"One thing it does is it pushes them up the pecking order a little bit.

"If all six (out-of-contract players) signed, we've got 19, Tomas Egert (who has been invited back for pre-season) could make it 20.

"Eighteen outfield and two goalkeepers, Reece Hutchinson can come and sit on the bench.

"And if we only put 15 or 16 on the bench now and again, you can only put three on, so it's not a great problem for us."

Liam Boyce was the most recent of Albion's club-record signings over the past two years
Liam Boyce was the most recent of Albion's club-record signings over the past two years

Having spent the last two summers preparing for the Championship, Albion have broken their club-record transfer fee on three occasions, for Kyle McFadzean, Jackson Irvine and Liam Boyce.

But with the Brewers' budget changed accordingly for League One, Clough says there will be no fees spent this time around.

"There won't be funds for transfer fees and things like that anyway," he added.

"So it'll be either free transfers or loans.

"We've got to wait and see what the six do first.

"It'll depend on that. If those six stay, that'll pretty much use our budget up."