Town boss Mick McCarthy says he has "loads of players" in mind as he looks for central defensive cover with Tommy Smith and Adam Webster both having been ruled out for eight weeks.
Smith pulled his hamstring in training on Friday, while Webster suffered an ankle problem at Luton last Tuesday.
"We’re looking to get somebody in,” McCarthy said. "We’ve got loads of players in mind, whether any of them come is another matter.
"As usual we’re doing our due diligence and being very thorough about it. We’ll see. We’ll get somebody.”
Is it likely it’ll be a loanee coming in as short-term cover? "That always depends because the right player might well not be there for a loan until January.
"We might be able to get a loan if that’s the case and we think he’s right for us then, yes, we can take him.
"But then it might be somebody who is out of contract who wants a 12-month deal. So, I don’t know. We’ll find out when we get to the player that we want.”
McCarthy dismissed suggestions that he might have had to persuade owner Marcus Evans to give him the cash to bring in another defender.
"No, not at all,” he added. "He knows, I didn’t have to make the call, he knew already and understands and we’ll get somebody.”
The Town boss says clubs who might be wary of loaning their players believing their defender might not get a game once Smith and Webster return shouldn’t be concerned on that front.
"That’s up to the player, isn’t it?” he said. "If the player comes and gets in the team and we’re winning and playing well, I won’t put Adam Webster and Tommy Smith back in. Not if it’s the best team. I’ll pick the best team.”
Until such time as McCarthy makes his additional signing, the likes of Jonas Knudsen or Jordan Spence are likely to continue to fill in as central defenders.
Both have played in a back three but are less familiar at operating as part of a central pairing.
"If I decide to go with the shape that we finished with it might be [a big ask for them]. But they’ve just got to do it. If I decide that, that’s the way they’ve got to do it, the why they’ve got to play. And to be fair they do it willingly. There’s no complaints.”
The Town manager has been pleased with Spence, who ended Saturday’s match alongside skipper Luke Chambers at the heart of the defence.
"I think he’s got good qualities, Jordan,” McCarthy added. "I’m sure he didn’t see himself playing at centre-half, that’s for sure.
"Dominic Iorfa’s been a real hit in the right-back slot anyway and I think Jordan, whenever he’s played there, he went into the three at Aston Villa and he’s had to do it a couple of other times whether it’s in a two or a three, he’s looked solid, as he did on Saturday, so I’m happy enough with him.”