Manager Neil Harris has moved to rein in the expectations over Gillingham’s summer transfer business.

He branded talk of Cardiff City winger Sheyi Ojo and others coming to the Gills “a load of rubbish” as excitement about who could join the club this summer reaches new levels.

Fans can be forgiven for getting excited, with a new owner onboard with money in the bank, but the Gills are keen to act sensibly in the market and are constrained by over-spending limits put on them by the Football League.

Gillingham made their fourth permanent signing on Tuesday night after paying an undisclosed amount to Leyton Orient for their left-sided central defender Shadrach Ogie.

A striker and a winger are also on the shopping list.

Earlier this month the Gills put in a bid for Alfie May before Charlton made their move and swooped for the striker - starting him against Neil Harris’ side in the midweek friendly. The Addicks won 3-1.

Harris said: “I have been very careful with what I say, not to fuel too much excitement.

“It was non-avoidable with Alfie May, with the publicity and the local gossips, so to speak, I had to speak about it.

“We get linked with a lot of good players and I see us get linked with Sheyi Ojo the other day from Cardiff. He would never come to Gillingham, not in a million years at the moment, a lot of it is a load of rubbish.”

He feels their own budget won’t match that of many other teams in League 2 this season despite the increased investment.

Harris added: “I just don’t want people to get too excited. We are not going to have the budget that gets us in the top five, six or seven teams in the league.

“Being linked with all of these players might fuel excitement, but we know it’s not going to happen.

“People need to get in the real world, we have to still try and sign smart players and make sure we get players at the right age and right experience.”

Free agent Scott Malone played for the Gills on Tuesday. He was released by Millwall this summer and linked up well down the left side with new recruit Jonny Williams.

Harris has already said Championship sides are looking at the experienced player and is keen to settle the situation this week, as to whether he signs for the Gills.

He said: “We are still really pleased Scott is with us, he is still open-minded with what he is doing and we are the same.

“We are now getting to a time where both parties need some clarity. Scottie needs to make a decision and we need to help him with that and see where it takes us from here. I think we need to have a conclusion to that this week.”

Gillingham lack options up front with Tom Nichols the only fit senior striker on the books. Oli Hawkins has been missing (heel injury) and Lewis Walker is out long term.

It’s meant Harris has been playing 4-3-3 in the last two games, rather than two up top, but he can’t say how long it will take to add attacking players to his squad.

He said: “We know we need to add to the attacking end of the pitch and we are trying. It will take as long as it takes.

“We have played the last two games - or three really with a half-fit Oli Hawkins at Como - with one senior player in Tom Nichols and Joe Gbode who is an 18-year-old centre-forward who is learning every day.

“We need to get the top end of the pitch firing, the sooner we get people in the better.”