Town boss Paul Jewell has specific targets in mind as he looks to utilise the emergency loan market to add to his stretched central defensive options. Football League clubs are able to take players on loan for up to 93 days from next weekend.
Jewell is all too aware that with Damien Delaney moving on, he has been left with only two senior central defenders: "It’s an area of the team we need to improve, a blind man could see that. That’s one area, as well as other areas, that we’re looking to strengthen.
"You look around us and one thing which stands out is the size of us. We’ve brought Murph in and he’s been a big help to us physically with his size. We’ve got Guirane N’Daw who we’ve got to get fit. We’re trying to bring a bit of size in.
"I think that one long ball down the middle of our defence is an area where we’ve got to tighten up,” he added. "One long ball can’t cause us as many problems as it does and that’s where we need to improve, not just on the pitch, but also off the pitch with the squad we’re trying to assemble.”
Premier League clubs are often more willing to allow fringe players to move out on loan once the transfer window has closed, they've done all their business and have named their 25-man squads.
The Blues boss, who ideally wants loans with a view to permanent deals, says there are particular players he is hopeful of bringing in, even if he’s loathe to say he’s confident having had his fingers burnt before: "I haven’t just decided we need a centre-half, we’ve been trying to get one in for quite a while but it hasn’t quite happened for different reasons.
"There are specific players. I’m not going to say I’m confident because I said that after the Southend game. I know we need a centre-half and there are specific players that I’m looking to bring in.”
Peterborough director of football Barry Fry has said his club would be willing to allow George Boyd to join the Blues on loan with a view to a permanent deal in January, but Jewell says no deal along those lines is yet set up: "Nothing’s in place. I said on Thursday or Friday that I wouldn’t rule it out but obviously we need to improve other parts of the team as well as that.
"We like George Boyd, we think he’s a good player but there’s nothing in place to take him on loan, it might happen, but there’s nothing in place.”