Boss Mick McCarthy says the Blues have already begun the process of seeking to add to their squad during the January transfer window, although the Town manager believes it isn’t an ideal time to be doing business.
Having been unable to replace Daryl Murphy at the end of the August window a striker to replace the Irish international, who joined Newcastle United for £3 million, is top of the Blues’ wish-list.
McCarthy, who has been spotted eyeing potential January targets over the last couple of months and has confirmed there's money to spend, says he’s already called other managers to make enquiries regarding the availability of possible additions.
"Of course, I’ve been on the phone and we’re all alike, ‘Well, if this happens or that happens’, there’s never a definitive. That's very, very rare because people are not sure who they might get in,” he said.
"One deal may release somebody else, but it’s never been a very productive month for too many people.
"We’ll just see what happens, see who is available. It’s never a great month to do it, it’s never a great window.
"And bringing lads in that have got no experience in the Championship can always be difficult. We’re into January and the season ends in May. It takes some of them quite a while to get used to it.”
McCarthy reiterated that while he aims to bring players in, there are never any guarantees - "No, not at all” - and reflected on the division’s currently sky high transfer market.
"They said to me at Birmingham, they were telling me that they’ve got £10 million to spend. I said, ‘That’s going to go a long way in the Championship this year, isn’t it? Ross McCormack cost more than that’.”
Conversely, it is possible to make financially astute signings, particularly where players’ contracts are up in the summer and their clubs are keen not to lose them without achieving a fee.
Town signed Freddie Sears from Colchester for £200,000 in those circumstances in the January 2015 window and McCarthy will look at similar signings which might be out there.
"If we can. There are bargains out there, but every one of us is looking for them,” he said. ”We’ll see. We’ll see what we can get.”
The Blues manager says he has spoken to striker Luke Varney, whose short-term deal is up in January, but so far without a decision having been made on his future.
"I had a brief conversation with him the other day,” the Town boss said. "He’s out of contract on January 12th and I’m just discussing with him, no decisions.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy says he feels for midfielder Teddy Bishop, who is sidelined once again having suffered an ankle injury in training.
"He’s been very unlucky,” he added. "He had all that trouble with his hamstring for a while.
"We managed to get to the bottom of that and got that right and this was just a football accident, he just landed and he’s just rocked his ankle - two to four weeks. Sad for him.”
Having said earlier in the week that loanee Jonny Williams isn’t a player he sees as someone who can play in a central midfield pairing, he feels it’s only fitness issues which have prevented Bishop from playing more regularly in the position he made his own during the 2014/15 campaign.
"Teddy’s done it before, the problem with Teddy is that he’s struggled with his fitness coming back from injury as much as anything,” he continued.
"It’s a proper old shift in there, certainly if you’re playing against three. And I think he was getting there, he was certainly getting there in terms of his fitness and stamina. It’s a bit like us, it’s one step forward, one step back.”