Cardiff City manager Steve Morison said the club are working hard to bring players in this month but will likely have to wait until the end of January to do so.
The Bluebirds boss confirmed the club are looking exclusively at loans, as reported by WalesOnline on Thursday, until the end of the season, with it understood that left wing-back and forward areas are key areas in which they are looking to recruit.
And Morison said that while he, and the recruitment staff, has been busy in the early throes of the window, there are sizeable obstacles which will likely delay any incomings until later in the window.
"We have got a few irons in the fire, a few things we are trying to do," he said.
"That's not with anyone going out. It’ll be loans, but nothing is going to happen right now.
"We have got FA Cup weekend, everyone is keeping their players for that. The last group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations is around January 17 or 18, so you’re not likely to see anything until after that.
"A lot of teams are thinking, 'Well, if our player gets knocked out (of AFCON) on January 17 then he will come back and we can let someone else go.'
"Also, on the flipside, we are not the only team trying to do business as well! The conversations I’ve had are probably happening with 10 other teams.
"We are competitive if we need to be, in the loan market, within the budget we are working towards.
"We will try and bring players in and change the dynamics of the group, but whether we actually get there and can make it happen is a day by day thing. But we are trying."
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Morison added that he had spent a lot of time talking to clubs in order to start conversations over taking players on loans, but while talks have been positive, top-flight sides are reluctant to let their players leave too early.
"There have been lots of conversations. I’ve never been on the phone so much in my life!" Morison said. "I was on the phone before speaking to [the media].
"I’m just trying to be honest and going through the correct channels. I’m being as honest with the players as I possibly can, if there's anything external (happening).
"It seems slightly different to normal. It’s just a waiting game. A lot of conversations are like, 'Yeah, that could be good, but, of we will wait until after the weekend, or after the Africa Cup of Nations finishes and we know where we are.'
"It’s about being calm and patient and going, 'It will happen, but it will happen in a few more weeks'.
"We also have to get to that point in a few more weeks."
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While Morison stated that he does not intend for any senior players to leave this month, following Ryan Giles' recall by Wolves, we have seen Chanka Zimba seal a move to Northampton Town this week.
The manager also revealed that another youngster is expected to leave Cardiff within the next 24 hours, something he sees as a positive for the club to better ascertain just where the player's ability level sits.
"There is one (under-23s player) that should be going out tomorrow," Morison confirmed.
"That will be really good. And we have had some interest in others, it's just that we are making sure we are getting the right move for them so then it benefits us as a football club so we can make more educated decisions on these players' careers."
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