ONLY days remain before the January transfer window opens and Derby County have a number of loan issues to address.
Three of the starting 11 in the 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day are on loan – Michael Keane, Simon Dawkins and Andre Wisdom.
Zak Whitbread, on loan from Leicester City, was among the substitutes, as was midfielder Kalifa Cisse whose short-term deal runs until mid-January.
Derby could also dip into the loan market for a striker.
They are being linked with Chelsea's Patrick Bamford, who has scored 16 goals in 27 matches this season on loan at League One club MK Dons. The 20-year-old is due to return to Chelsea on January 5.
He came through the academy system at Nottingham Forest before he joined Chelsea in a £1.5m deal in January 2012 and signed a five-year contract.
Wigan Athletic, Middlesbrough and Burnley are also reported to be interested in the England Youth international.
Rams head coach Steve McClaren has already gone on record as saying he wants to keep Keane and Dawkins longer.
"We want to keep the squad together," McClaren said after the game at Huddersfield.
Keane's loan deal expires after the home fixture against Wigan on New Year's Day and Derby want to extend his stay from Manchester United until the end of the season.
"We have said that from day one and, hopefully, we can. He has proved his pedigree," McClaren said.
An injury to skipper Richard Keogh has opened the door for Keane.
He made his first start in the Huddersfield game and impressed alongside Jake Buxton at centre-back.
Dawkins has started the last 10 matches and the attacking midfielder has hit three goals.
His loan from Tottenham Hotspur is up in mid-January and his contract at White Hart Lane runs to the end of the season, although Spurs are likely to take up an option of an extra year.
Chants of "sign him up, sign him up" have been heard from Derby fans in recent weeks and it will be interesting to see the size of fee Spurs place on Dawkins, should they wish to sell.
Whitbread's stay at Derby ends on December 31. The central defender is fit again after being sidelined for two months by a calf injury. He made three starts when he first arrived.
The centre-back situation could dictate Whitbread's own situation. Shaun Barker is still out, Keogh is set to be missing for four weeks and Mark O'Brien is working his way back to full match fitness after a lengthy spell out.
Wisdom's loan from Liverpool runs until the end of the season, while the form of John Eustace in the holding role in midfield and the return to fitness of Jeff Hendrick mean Cisse has made only one start.
We wait to see whether the Mali international's contract will be extended beyond January.
