Burton Albion have signed defender Tomas Egert until the end of the season.
Centre-back Egert, 23, has joined the Brewers as a free agent having left previous club Slavoj Vysehrad in his native Czech Republic.
Egert started his professional career with Slovakian top-tier side Spartak Trnava but failed to make a professional appearance.
Five outings for the reserve side followed before he joined top-tier Czech side Slovan Liberec in 2014, where he made one appearance - coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Pribram in November 2014.
A couple of loan spells followed, firstly with Vysehrad - where he made 21 appearances - and then with Viktoria Zizkov, pulling on the shirt 11 times.
Egert signed for Vysehrad again earlier this season, making one appearance back in August - notching a goal in a 2-1 cup defeat to Vlasim.
Currently in the country studying Football Management at the University of Derby, Egert will take the squad number 29.
"I am excited to sign for the club. I have been around the squad for a few weeks now and everyone has been really nice," he said.
"English football is more physical but that's my type of play so I'm looking forward to it.
"Nigel Clough is really professional, a really nice person so I'm looking forward to working with him."
The Brewers manager has watched his squad be decimated by injury in recent weeks, with potentially seven first-team players out of action for Saturday's trip to Wolves.
It's expected that Egert will be included on the substitute's bench, with Clough unable to name a full matchday 18 in Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United.
And the Czech's recommendation came from a name well known to the Pirelli Stadium faithful.
"Tomas has played at the top level in the Czech Republic and has come over to study in England and he was recommended to us by John McGrath," Clough said.
"He has been training with Mickleover and at university
"John said to us that he's far too good for that, so he has been training with us for the last few weeks.
"With the injuries we have had we thought we would take a chance and put him on contract for the rest of the season.
"It will give us some defensive cover at centre back or full back and with Lucas Akins being out we have been short of cover in that area.
"You can't sign anyone unless they are a free agent as it's outside the window and he hasn't looked out of place in training so it makes sense for us."
First-team defenders John Brayford and Ben Turner have been out for longer than anticipated with calf injuries and Lucas Akins, who has filled in at full-back for five of the last six matches, has been ruled out until the international break with a hamstring injury.
Jamie Allen could require a scan on his ankle after he was hurt in a challenge with Enda Stevens at Bramall Lane, and Luke Murphy (hamstring) and Martin Samuelsen (illness) are doubtful for tomorrow's trip to Wolves.
With only Shaun Barker and Jake Buxton Clough's defensive options on the bench on Tuesday night, Egert offers another option should he be called upon.
