For Cardiff City fans, patience will be a virtue this month.
The Bluebirds are looking to recruit in the January transfer window, with the club in desperate need of reinforcements in order to push them away from the Championship relegation zone in the final few months of the season.
Cardiff have already recalled Ryan Wintle from his loan at Blackpool and Max Watters from his stint at MK Dons, both positive moves, but sustained a blow when Wolves brought Ryan Giles back early.
So, where are they looking next?
Well, following Giles' departure, WalesOnline understands that left wing-back is certainly a position in which they are now looking to recruit this month.
With Cardiff having allowed Joe Bennett to leave for free last summer, that role was entrusted to Joel Bagan at the start of the campaign. While the youngster certainly has promise, it was perhaps too much of an ask for the Republic of Ireland youth international to play there for the entire campaign.
Bagan is still learning his trade and had very little exposure to Championship football before this season. In hindsight, that summer strategy was probably poorly-thought and if the club could have their time again, one suspects they might have acted differently.
Giles performed admirably as wing-back, though, before returning to Molineux. Bagan will no doubt have a role to play in the back half of the season, but it is understood the club want to bring in another option in that position this month.
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Cardiff are also looking to bring in one, potentially two, players in forward positions as well.
The Bluebirds have desperately been lacking pace and creativity in that final third this season. Again, while the club should be praised for bringing through a number of young players over the course of the season, it is abundantly clear they need help.
Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies have shown fleeting glimpses of real promise, but, like Bagan, it is unfair to expect the world from them at this stage of their careers.
Both Colwill and Davies should be eased gradually into the side, not be relied upon week in, week out in what is essentially their full rookie campaigns. They are still raw and have much to learn, but the composition of the squad means they are having more prominent roles than anyone really expected.
It is hoped that the recall of Watters will help in that regard, but the club are looking for other options in a forward capacity.
Wintle has bolstered Cardiff's midfield options and the club will therefore not look to add anyone else in that area of the pitch. Wintle, Marlon Pack, Joe Ralls, Will Vaulks and Leandro Bacuna represent decent numbers in there.
As for the defence, Cardiff will go with the five centre backs they currently have, while right back looks fairly well stocked with Perry Ng and, hopefully, the returning Tom Sang to fill in those roles. Cardiff had taken a look at Fulham's Cyrus Christie as a potential loan option, but it is thought he has been offered a permanent transfer elsewhere and will opt for that.
The fact is, there is no money to spend on permanent transfers this month. They will rely on loans and are hoping to snare two or three from the Premier League as a stop-gap until the end of the season, when the big summer rebuild will begin.
Steve Morison alluded to it in his press conference recently, but Cardiff will likely have to wait until the end of the month before any real business is done, therefore patience must be heeded.
Top-flight clubs are concerned about Covid-19 outbreaks and are attempting to stockpile their squads, as evidenced by Wolves' recall of Giles, to ensure there is not a giant backlog of postponed fixtures which will need to be played.
They are also wary of the Africa Cup of Nations, too. Many Premier League sides will lose players to the tournament, further depleting their squads.
WalesOnline has been told there are 'irons in the fire', but the loan process is perhaps not as easy as it once was.
With Premier League clubs increasingly reluctant to allow players to leave, the process has become far more convoluted, with so many Championship sides vying for far fewer players in this now incredibly crowded market.
Premier League sides can pit sides against one another to inflate loan fees, while Championship clubs are being asked far more forensic questions pertaining to their playing style, what position they see the player, how they will fit into the side and playing time they are expected to receive, among other criteria.
It has become a greatly difficult task and one which will likely come to a head towards the back end of this month.
In terms of outgoings, Chanka Zimba has gone to Northampton Town on loan until the end of the campaign, a move Cardiff hope will benefit both them and the player in the long run. The Bluebirds don't expect many, if any, others to leave.
Although it is only very early in the window, as of last night Cardiff had not received any other offers for their players.
There is, of course, the elephant in the room of nine players heading out of contract and it would potentially be ideal if one or two of those whose contracts won't be renewed could leave, but only if it allowed enough time and money to bring in replacements. Squad size is vital in the current climate.
That is likely to be something that comes to a head in the summer, though. For now, it is all about the here and now and consolidating Championship status for next season.
Two or three more in the building would be ideal, but it will be something of a waiting game for the next couple of weeks, for the club and for its fans.
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