Crawley have beaten off competition from Wrexham and York to capture defender Jake Wright from Halifax.

Wright, 22, passed a medical today to become boss Steve Evans' seventh summer signing.

The former Bradford trainee is the third player to join from crisis-club Halifax, along with Danny Forrest and Lewis Killeen.

Evans said: "He is a left-sided central defender and they are hard to get especially when they come with excellent pace and are very brave.

"He was set for a move to Doncaster Rovers but the quality of player they need has gone up again with them being promoted to the Championship.

"(Doncaster manager) Sean O'Driscoll rates the lad very highly and there is a manager whose opinion I rate highly.

"I did think he would head elsewhere but I asked his mates, Danny Forrest and Lewis Killeen, to get on the case to help persuade him to join us."

Evans is also close to signing a goalkeeper, who is thought to be Torquay's transfer-listed stopper Simon Rayner.

He said: "I am delighted how the squad is shaping up but we have a few pieces of the jigsaw to pull together.

"We have agreed terms with a goalkeeper and he has a medical here at the football club scheduled for Friday.

"I am also due to meet two players for a second time this week and we must obviously have a chance of signing them or they would not be wanting to meet up again."

Meanwhile, Reds have issued a hands off warning to clubs wanting to poach Evans.

Reds have rejected an approach from an unnamed club for permission to talk to Evans, who signed a three-year contract at Broadfield Stadium at the end of last season.

Director Phil Jarman said: "I was approached by a club asking if they could talk to Steve Evans. I spoke to the rest of the directors and we all agreed we are behind him and want him to take us forward, so we politely said hands off'.

"It is flattering that other clubs want your manager because it says he is doing a good job."

Evans joined Crawley from Boston last summer and guided them to 15th place in the Blue Square premier division in his first season.

Jarman said: "We feel he did a really good job last season after having a six point deduction and having to sell his top scorer.

"We are really excited about next season and think he is the perfect man for the job."

Crawley's new board of directors are set to meet fans for the first time at an open forum on Friday. Evans and assistant boss Paul Raynor will also answer questions at Broadfield Stadium from 6.30pm.

What do you make of Crawley's latest signing?