With the season just over two weeks away, numerious trailists passing through the club and the purse strings being tightened Gudjon Thordarson looks set to use the loan market to bolster his squad.
Thordarson ventured up to Southport on Saturday to check on Blackburn Rovers defender Johnny Flynn but his performance did not impress the Icelandic but the performance from 19-year-old midfielder Alex Marrow caught his eye.
The former Ashton United player impressed during a trial back in February 2008 and has made many appearances for the academy and for the reserve side giving some solid perfomances for Rovers.
In January 2009 Marrow signed a new deal at Ewood Park that keeps him at the club until 2011.
The loan signing of Clayton McDonald is actually a local player and was on Crewe's books in the academy but was released by Steve Holland.
20-year-old McDonald had loan spells at Macclesfield Town and Chesterfield last season and is the son of former striker Rod McDonald who played for Walsall.
McDonald has been impressive in the Manchester City academy and reserves and stands at 6' 6'' and would add some need height to Crewe's defence.