Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin says there may not be any new arrivals at Tannadice ahead of the transfer deadline.
Scottish clubs have until 11.30pm on Thursday night to complete signings, but clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two have until the end of February to add domestic loans.
Goodwin is still on the hunt for a defender, with Declan Gallagher still a few weeks away from re-joining training and Ollie Denham having returned to parent club Cardiff City.
The Dundee United boss revealed he has had talks over loan arrivals as he bids to add the final “missing piece” of his squad.
But Goodwin insists he does not feel undue pressure owing to Thursday’s deadline.
“There’s still a few hours left of the international window, but from our own point of view domestically we can still do business through the month of February,” he said.
“We’ll continue to work away on it right up until the last moment, but I don’t think there will be a great deal being done today (Thursday).
“Domestically, we are in dialogue with one or two at the moment and we’ll see what comes from it in the next few days and into February.
“We’re still looking for a centre half, we need a bit more cover there. Declan Gallagher is a couple of weeks from returning to train and when guys go under the knife, you’re never sure what the reaction is going to be thereafter.
‘Space in the squad’
“It’s too big of a risk for us to go with the three boys.
“The only missing piece really is because Ollie Denham has returned to Cardiff. We’ve got a space in the squad to bring in another defender.
“Don’t get me wrong, if we don’t get one over the line, I’ve got two very good young ones in Greg Petrie and Sam Harding who have been training with the group regularly and have done very well.
“But in the circumstances; the importance and the significance of what we’re facing in the next few months, I think it will be important to get players in who have played first-team football already.”
Goodwin revealed outgoings from Tannadice before Thursday’s deadline are also unlikely, though didn’t completely rule it out.
One player linked with a move is out-of-favour goalkeeper Mark Birighitti who recently spent time at Kilmarnock on an emergency loan.
“You never know, on the last day of the window strange things can happen,” said Goodwin.”
“We have had one or two enquiries, but there are a lot of things that have to fall into place in order for those to happen.
“[Birighitti] knows the situation, he’s available. We have had one or two clubs enquire about him, but there’s nothing concrete at the moment.”
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