King's Lynn boss Keith Webb is poised to finally thrash out a deal for Woodbridge Town target Joe Francis.Linnets' chairman Ken Bobbins last week refused to smash the Southern League, Premier Division club's transfer record - Lyndon Rowland's £5,000 arrival from Halesowen in 1999 - for the highly rated 20-year-old.

King's Lynn boss Keith Webb is poised to finally thrash out a deal for Woodbridge Town target Joe Francis.

Linnets' chairman Ken Bobbins last week refused to smash the Southern League, Premier Division club's transfer record - Lyndon Rowland's £5,000 arrival from Halesowen in 1999 - for the highly rated 20-year-old.

But Webb and Town counterpart Mick Stockwell have held fresh talks to break the impasse in the protracted saga.

"Let's just say Micky and myself got together and reached some common ground," revealed Webb. "There's been movement between the clubs and its back on again. Now we need to dot the i's and cross the t's. The player has always been very keen to come and I'm hopeful we can conclude a deal."

Webb is also set to recruit ex-Boston United defender Ben Chapman, but the Linnets chief ruled out a move for former target Dan Chillingworth.

The powerful front man was recently released by Conference outfit Cambridge United.

"I feel we have enough strikers already in the mix," said Webb. "Ben has promised to let me know later this week. If we can get those two lads in then I'd be reasonably content with my squad. That isn't to say we won't look to improve all areas of the playing staff if the right ones still become available."

Webb has already clinched deals for experienced keeper Paul Crichton and Grays hotshot Jason Turner. The Linnets' boss had previously secured another six of his key personnel on contracts as the club gear up for an all out title assault.

"To be fair, the board and the chairman have backed me to the hilt," he said. "Everything I have asked for so far they have granted me. That goes for bringing Lee Glover in as well. He's already shown so much enthusiasm and I didn't expect anything less.

"It would've taken me three or four seasons to build up the knowledge of Midlands-based players he has - which is a key area for us.

"The commitment is there to suggest we are putting in place foundations for a crack at the title - not just aiming for the play-offs. We don't want to do a Bedford - we want to get out of this league and be a force in the next one and the one above that."

Lynn officials are working on confirming two additional pre-season home friendlies against Lincoln and Cambridge City as Webb bids to hit the ground running.

"I don't want a lot of games, but I'm happy with the schedule," he said. "All the lads were given fitness programmes to follow and I'll know within an hour of coming back for pre-season training if they have stuck to them. I'd be surprised if they haven't. At Norwich we used to say if the fitness base was there, then the quicker the footballs come out. It'll be no different here."