Paul Tisdale believes his six summer signings tick a lot of boxes and is confident they will adapt well to life at Stadium MK.
MK Dons have added six new players to their squad ahead of the 2019/20 campaign with goalkeeper Laurie Walker the latest to join the Dons. Hiram Boateng, Brennan Dickenson, Joe Mason, Jordan Bowery and Regan Poole are the others to arrive at the Club.
“They tick a lot of boxes,” manager Tisdale said in his first pre-season press conference.
“They all have had a different path to this point. There are different sets of factors that will be motivating them.
“They also fit into the pattern of how we’ve played our football over the past ten months.”
He continued: “We managed to secure the core part of our squad to new contracts in winter last year and now we’ve added some new players.
"We now have a very highly motivated and secure team and I’m enthused with how the squad is looking.”
As well as the six new additions, the Dons also retained the services of last season’s top goalscorer Kieran Agard this summer and Tisdale is pleased to have his main talisman tied down.
“We’re really pleased and Kieran has a smile on his face so I presume he’s happy too,” he said.
“He was one of the players we weren’t able to agree [a contract] with during the season but I understand it’s a different marketplace for centre forwards.
"Kieran did the job last year. He maintained a perfect attitude throughput last season - he was an example to everyone on how to conduct yourself. He had a really good season, scored lots of goals and was the main engine of our train at the top end of the pitch.
“He was entitled to look at his options but I’m really pleased he’s back with us.”
While Agard will be returning to Stadium MK in 2019/20, his strike partner from last year, Chuks Aneke, won’t be, after completing a move to Sky Bet Championship side Charlton Athletic following the expiry of his Dons deal.
Tisdale, though, holds no grudge and was keen to offer Aneke his best wishes as he begins a new chapter in his career.
“He had a contract, which finished this year. We made him a really good offer earlier in the season but he was entitled to look at his options and I bear him no ill feelings whatsoever.
“He had a really good attitude, like Kieran, and he did everything we asked of him. He played really well and he contributed to promotion - I can take no umbrage with someone who has contributed to the success of the Club.
“His time here was well spent - he developed and progressed in his career and he’s got another position somewhere which has taken him forward. We wish him the best.”
The Dons boss also refused to rule out making further additions to his Dons squad ahead of the start of the new campaign.
He said: “Never say never because you just don’t know what’s around the corner. Unless you’re really up and over that budget, and there is literally no more space in the squad, it’s always nice to have a thought for someone who might become available who you didn’t think possible.
“As a manager you have to make sure you have enough in your squad to play the way you want to play and have cover for injuries and competition for places.
“Our recruitment department, led by Matt Oakley and Liam Sweeting, are on it. They are busy working, looking at the August loan market and they are already making plans for the January window because that’s how it works in this industry, you are always looking ahead.”
