Crawley will continue their search for new players after a deal to sign Matteo Lanzoni collapsed.

Reds boss John Gregory was hoping to sign the former Italy under-19 international who left Oldham last month after rejecting a new contract. However, the 25-year-old failed a medical at Crawley who were only prepared to offer him terms until the end of the season.

Lanzoni has instead now signed an 18-month contract with Championship side Yeovil.

The postponement of today’s FA Cup second round replay at home to Bristol Rovers gives manager John Gregory more time to bolster a small squad.

Gregory targeted Lanzoni, who began his career with Sampdoria, to give him another defensive option but will now switch his attention elsewhere.

He said: “We have been talking with Matteo Lanzoni in the last few days. We had him here and he was ready to sign but he didn’t pass the medical we put in front of him.

“We were a little bit concerned. He had missed a number of games in the last few seasons. With a small club such as ours, my boys need to play 40 games a year. We can’t afford to carry spare players.

“We are not Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea. We can’t carry a huge squad and all the players have to be fit, healthy and available for selection.

“We were a little bit concerned with Matteo’s situation where in the last few years he has played 20-odd games a year. We were very nervous and we didn’t pursue signing him on a full-time basis.

“We offered him six months and he has gone somewhere else for a longer contract. Yeovil have taken him on an 18-month contract and we wish him good luck. We think he has made a mistake but there we go.

“We are still looking and looking to improve.”

Crawley called for an early pitch inspection yesterday lunchtime following heavy overnight rain and referee Andrew Davies declared the game could not go ahead with parts of surface waterlogged.

The match has been rescheduled for next Wednesday at 7.45pm, with the winners away to Birmingham the following Wednesday (January 15).

Chief executive Michael Dunford said: “The forecast for the early part of next week is not encouraging which is why we have delayed re-staging the game until Wednesday to give us the best chance of playing it then.”

Crawley’s trip to Swindon, which was postponed on New Year’s Day, has been rearranged for Tuesday February 25.