DAI Young says Wasps will improve 30 per cent this summer and expects to be challenging the top four within two seasons.

The club’s director of rugby is confident that an influx of high calibre players in the coming months will take Wasps to the next level and go a long way to restoring their reputation as one of the country’s premier teams.

He said: “This is my third season but we’ve never been in a position where we can really plan and push it forward at the pace I want to.

“You’ve had to play with the money you’ve had and it was one out and one in basically.

“I’ve been quite pleased we’ve improved the squad sufficiently, but I think next season will be a much bigger step than we’ve had in the last three seasons with the quality we’re bringing in.

“I think the squad will be a hell of a lot stronger. We’ve improved the squad ten per cent every season I’ve been here, but I think it will be a 30-35 per cent jump next year.

“We’re still talking to a number of players. Recruitment isn’t done and we’re hoping by the end of the season we can announce a couple more.”

Welsh lock Bradley Jones plus Sale duo James Gaskell and Rob Miller have already been announced, while highly-rated Samoan international Alapati Leiua has also been strongly linked to the club.

Young said: “I believe we’re two seasons off having a squad to match the top four. That’s realistic. You can’t do it overnight.

“We’ll be far more competitive next season. Will we have a squad to match the top four? No we won’t, but we won’t be a million miles from it and I’m confident the season after we’ll be up there.”