Blues boss Paul Jewell says loans with a view to permanent transfers will be what he is looking for when the ‘ emergency loan window’ opens in a week’s time. The Town manager says it was possible that a couple of players might have come in on Thursday had their current clubs been able to bring in new signings of their own.
Damien Delaney’s exit earlier in the week, ultimately to join Crystal Palace, means the Blues are particularly short on centre-halves, while the rest of the squad also needs further additions.
Jewell says he’ll be looking to bring players in prior to the match at Middlesbrough in a fortnight’s time with no game next Saturday as it's an international week: "A loan with a view to buying is what we’re looking for, that is the ideal scenario.
"There were a couple of players that we’re chasing that we could possibly have taken yesterday if these teams had got the player they were after.
"That situation could change where I take a player on loan and we put a figure on that and agree to buy him in January. That’s the ideal scenario we’re looking at.
"Loan players are fine,” he added. "But we want to build for the future. We want youngish players if possible, one or two experienced as well, but without sounding like a broken record, the window opens next week.
"I was speaking to five Premier League managers about players [on Thursday], not just about centre-halves, other types of players as well that might become available next week.”
Leicester’s Sean St Ledger, who was close to joining the Blues in January, was mentioned as a potential target yesterday, but the Town manager refused to be drawn on individual targets: "If I was here telling you about every conversation I’ve had on the phone this week, it would be a long old press conference.
"We’re looking to strengthen at centre-half, everybody knows that. Not just at centre-half, we’re looking to strengthen all around, whether that’s midfield or up front.”
Despite missing out a number of targets, Jewell is happy with the players he has brought in towards the end of the transfer window: "I’m pleased we’re bringing in Paul Taylor, Daryl Murphy and Guirane N’Daw. I’m pleased with those three, but I’m aware we need a couple of defenders, everybody knows that.
"I would tell people that it’s not a one-game season, we’ve got a game tomorrow, a big game against Huddersfield, and we’re prepared for that, but we know that we need to improve our squad for the coming months.”
Loans outside transfer windows are limited to a maximum of 93 days so players coming in prior to the Middlesbrough game would have to return to their clubs before Christmas and come back to Town in January if their moves were made permanent.