Burton Albion will continue to make enquiries over possible loan signings as they look to bolster their squad with the League One season underway.
The Brewers fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Rochdale on the opening day of the campaign yesterday, with Scott Fraser and David Templeton - Albion's two signings of the summer so far - both making their debuts.
Nigel Clough was only able to name six substitutes on the bench following Matty Lund's move to Scunthorpe United on Friday, and with Will Miller still recovering from injury.
Clough is keen to bring in new additions to the squad before the loan window closes at the end of August, having tried to get one player into the club before the Dale game.
"It's difficult getting permanents in," said the Albion manager.
"I think our business will probably be loans, between now and the end of the month, and we've got another three or fours weeks to do that business.
"We'll keep asking questions of teams and clubs, 'can we have this player and that player?', as we've been doing the last few weeks.
"But we are pretty happy with the team that finished in the second half today.
"[Lund's move] frees up a space and it frees up a wage.
"We'll be looking to fill that space.
"We tried to get somebody in on loan in time for today, so we'll pursue that again next week."
While the deadline for permanent transfers this summer is Thursday (August 9), clubs are still able to make loan signings until the end of the month.
That means it could still be a few weeks before Burton's squad is confirmed for the first half of the campaign.
And their current players may still be getting up to speed too, according to Clough.
"We think it'll be the end of August before we get our settled squad," he added.
"With the injuries, the people that have missed pre-season, a lot of them have missed a week or two and they're a little bit behind.
"Scotty Fraser, I thought he was very good today, but he needs that extra yard of sharpness, especially in the first half.
"I thought Rochdale all looked fit, strong and I don't think they've had too many injury problems in pre-season."
