Cardiff City moved quickly and decisively to recall Max Watters and Ryan Wintle in the first week of the January transfer window.
Watters had been impressing at MK Dons, having scored seven goals in his 14 appearances for the League One club before sustaining an injury ahead of the new year.
He is thought to be close to full fitness now, though, and adds some much-needed firepower to a so-far lacklustre forward line of James Collins and Kieffer Moore.
Watters has as many goals as the two above combined, despite playing a collective 33 fewer games this term.
His inclusion in the back part of the season can be viewed only as a positive for the club, however there are others who are bound to suffer as a result.
Chanka Zimba is certainly one. Despite a blistering start to the campaign for Cardiff's Under-23s, he has nine goals in 10 games, his only appearance for the senior side up at Preston North End was tough and he was hooked at half time.
It is said that Zimba is being eyed by Northampton Town, Steve Morison's boyhood club, for a loan move away. For those hoping Zimba would have a part to play this season, preferably with City sitting comfortably in mid-table, it might represent something of a blow.
Read more: Steve Morison says lack of 'outside support' has made it harder for James Collins to succeed
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The fact Cardiff are now very much embroiled in a relegation battle affords them little opportunity to allow young players to come into the side for a sustained period of time. Results are needed now and patience is at a premium at the minute.
There is hope that Zimba can have a Watters-esque run of it and bag some Football League goals in an attempt to come back better and stronger next season. If he is to be part of this new Cardiff project moving forward, then he needs confidence and goals behind him.
While many wanted to see him flourish at Cardiff immediately, especially given how many fans he has brought onside with his terrific Under-23s displays, the current predicament means they might have to settle for him gaining his experience elsewhere.
Then, there is Mark Harris .
At the beginning of the campaign, Mick McCarthy toyed with the idea of sending the Welshman out on loan, with Rotherham United and Fleetwood Town both said to be interested in his services.
In a last-minute change of heart, though, McCarthy did away with trialist Marley Watkins and instead placed his faith in Harris.
Harris has come on in the last year, indeed he impressed when given the chance to run out for his country in the recent autumn internationals against Belarus and Estonia. He started the season well, when Cardiff were getting those early results, but he still divides opinion.
There is no doubt that his work rate and ability to stretch a defence are big plus points for City, but there are question marks over his output in the final third - and that, given the position in which he plays, is where it really counts.
Whether he would have been afforded the same latitude from Cardiff fans had he not been "one of their own" is certainly up for debate. Figures of just five goals in 41 appearances, albeit only 16 from the off, need to improve if he is to truly convince supporters he can help to lead this forward line.
But he must be doing something right. It was reported in recent days that German second-tier side FC St. Pauli are interested in signing the 23-year-old this month.
It is unlikely Cardiff can afford to lose both Zimba and Harris this month, but Watters' arrival certainly rattles the cages for a few already within the squad.
Watters immediately leaps above Zimba, Harris and Isaak Davies in the pecking order, while James Collins will be looking over his shoulder, too.
With Cardiff treading the line between stockpiling their own squad to stave off Covid disaster and attempting to keep costs down to a minimum, it is a delicate balancing act.
The upshot almost certainly means, though, one of Zimba or Harris will leave this month, with fans hoping Watters can more than atone for that loss in the coming months.
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