Early recruitment has focused heavily on MK Dons biggest weakness

Defensive frailties were MK Dons’ biggest Achilles’ heel last season, but after their fifth summer signing, those issues appear to be well in hand.

The capture of a third centre-back on Friday in the form of Sam Sherring from Northampton Town add to the list of already high calibre defenders brought into the fold this month. While clubs higher up the food chain were believes to be sniffing around Sherring, Dons had already announced the arrivals of Luke Offord and Laurence Maguire.

Offord arrived from Crewe Alexandra. The Railwaymen skipper helped his side to Wembley, and were within 90 minutes of League One, only to lose in the play-off final to Maguire’s Crawley side, who also made embarrassingly light work of Dons in the semis.

The trio already look likely to go straight into Mike Williamson’s starting line-up, with last season’s back-line looking battered and broken by the end of the campaign. Warren O‘Hora is now a free agent after his contract expired, and while Daniel Harvie and Jack Tucker remain at the club, both now appear to be knocked down the pecking order. Dean Lewington too signed up for another year, but could, like last season, be more of a bit-part player in Williamson’s system.

While attacking midfielders Tommy Leigh and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans has been added to act as support in behind the striker, questions remain about the pivotal lynchpin midfield roles. Jack Payne remains a free agent, having fulfilled the role for large portions of last season while on loan from Charlton Athletic, while Lewis Bate was confirmed a Stockport player on Thursday after their promotion to League One.

Defensively, at least in the middle, Dons look as though they may have secured what they need with a few weeks still to go before the side return for their pre-season tests. Wing-back depth will be a necessity, with Joe Tomlinson a revelation there last season, but the role did not seem to suit Cameron Norman as much on the opposite flank, and the goalkeeping spot too looks up for debate.

At this stage in the off-season though, their biggest area of concern looks significantly stronger.