Derby County look sure to maintain their pursuit of Huddersfield Town midfielder Jacob Butterfield.
Manager Paul Clement, still seeking his first win as manager, will be without England Under 21 ace Will Hughes for six months.
The 20-year-old club academy product has had surgery on a knee ligament injury sustained in the opening-day draw at Bolton Wanderers.
And Clement, whose side have had four league stalemates so far, wants to bring in a new face before the Tuesday, September 1 transfer deadline.
The Rams have made three unsuccessful bids, the most recent said to be of around £3m, for Butterfield, who played in Town’s 1-1 draw at Fulham on Saturday.
They have also been linked with Brighton and Hove Albion’s Dale Stephens, Nottingham Forest’s Henri Lansbury and Liverpool’s Joao Carlos Teixeira.
In addition, Derby have made a bid for Forest attacker Michail Antonio, but Clement said: “The priority is a midfielder.
“I cannot say we are close or not close with any of the players. When the players are signed, that is when they are in.
“All I can say is we have targeted not one but a couple of good midfielders.
“Good midfielders – any good players – are hard to get because clubs want to keep hold of them.
“We are pushing hard and we hope something will be done soon to complement the already good squad we have got.
“Hopefully, that will happen this week.”
Town manager Chris Powell said after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham: “Jacob is being pursued by a club I played for.
“I don’t like the way they are doing it, but this is football, and I have to deal with the situation.
“It has been tough for both him and myself, but he has dealt with it well and I think he is a credit to himself and his family.
“All I can say is that Jacob will come in and carry on being the professional he is and we will see what transpires.”
Former Middlesbrough player Butterfield, 25, picked up a thigh niggle at Fulham, but is expected to make a quick recovery.
Town host QPR this Saturday, while Derby are at home to Leeds United.
