Swansea City head coach Russell Martin has said he will finally turn to striker Morgan Whittaker for their Championship match at home to Birmingham City on Saturday.
Whittaker is set to figure in the squad after Martin admitted his club’s dealings in the January transfer window had been badly handled.
The Swans failed to bring in a single player but saw six go through the exit door.
The only player who was added to the group was Whittaker, who returned from a loan spell with Plymouth Argyle but then saw a proposed transfer to Rangers fall through.
Whittaker is now poised to play a part against Birmingham and Martin said: “Morgan’s been working really well and he’ll be in the squad for Birmingham.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for Morgs. He’s been great since he’s come back, it’s been a difficult situation for him.
“I think he’s dealt with it really well. He has outstanding attributes and now it’s up to us to bring the best out of him.”
Liam Walsh, who recently made his return from an Achilles injury, and Joe Allen, who has a minor hamstring injury, will not be included in the squad.
The Swans are back in 12th place, four points adrift of the play-off places, having won twice, drawn once and lost once in their last four league matches.
Like the Swans, Birmingham went out of the FA Cup at the fourth round stage and their league form has been poor with five successive Championship defeats.
Cardiff City – who signed one player, striker Sory Kaba, in the window – are also in a desperate run of form and will he hoping for a change of fortunes after failing to win in their last 12 matches in all competitions.
The Bluebirds recently appointed Sabri Lamouchi as their new manager, but he began with a defeat in midweek, when Cardiff went down 1-0 away to Luton Town.
There were signs, though, of more durability and Lamouchi will be keen to build on that performance by gaining much needed points from a trip to Hull City.
Cardiff are just three points above the relegation zone in 21st place, while Hull sit in mid-table and enjoyed an impressive 3-0 win over QPR last time out.
Newport County are also looking nervously over their shoulders, with only five points between them and the League Two relegation zone.
County are without a win in six games – although four of those were draws – and host sixth-placed Swindon.
But unlike Cardiff and Swansea, they did, though, get plenty of transfer business done in January.
Midfielder Harry Charsley, who signed from Port Vale, is set for a debut while loanees Harry McNeill, Calum Kavanagh and Matt Baker could feature after arriving from Manchester United, Middlesbrough and Stoke City respectively.
After their FA Cup heroics in their draw against Sheffield United, Wrexham return to National League action with a trip to Altrincham.
Wrexham’s Cup campaign means they have fallen three points behind leaders Notts County at the top of the table, but they have two games in hand and are unbeaten in 21 matches.
