Dave Jones believes quit threat Michael Chopra will stay
Dave Jones has told the Cardiff City board he wants four new signings before the debt-ridden club suffers another Football League transfer embargo.
The Bluebirds boss understands he "has to work quickly" between embargoes as Cardiff's new directors deal with the club's estimated £15m to £30m debt.
Cardiff had their two-month transfer ban lifted on Friday so the club can register their three summer arrivals.
"If we can get four more in then it bolsters the squad," said Jones.
The Championship club had the sanction imposed on them in May due to a delay in paying a £1.3m PAYE bill to HM Revenue and Customs and other football related debts.
A delay in lodging end of-year accounts and money owed to the brokers of defender Mark Hudson's £1m move from Charlton to Cardiff last summer also accounted for the Football League transfer ban.
The Bluebirds faced five winding-up orders over an unpaid £1.9m debt to the taxman before their seven-month legal battle - and subsequent transfer embargo - was ultimately concluded at the High Court in June.
Cardiff, though, now face a fresh winding-up order at the High Court on 11 August over the new £1.3m PAYE bill.
We have fended off all of the silly bids from people that have been putting in to the football club because they think there is a fire-sale
Cardiff City boss Dave Jones
Cardiff chief executive Gethin Jenkins has warned, however, that the club could suffer another transfer embargo as the Welsh club face "more challenges to come."
The Bluebirds have signed Wigan Athletic playmaker Jason Koumas and Manchester United midfielder Danny Drinkwater on a season-long loan.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton, meanwhile, has arrived on a permanent deal from United and the new trio are to be registered with the Football League on Friday.
"We needed five players to come in," said Jones.
"But now we've got Jason, if we can get four more in then it bolsters the squad.
"It means I have to work quickly and the embargo will be put on, not for football reasons but because of the tax again because of the monthly payments.
"That is something we've just got to clear up as soon as possible. We can't keeping going in and out of embargos as it is difficult enough as it is because the loan market that we're moving in is the hardest one."
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Republic of Ireland striker Andy Keogh has been linked with a loan move to Cardiff as has experienced defender Lee Naylor, who is without a club and Cardiff need a left-back since Mark Kennedy's departure.
And Jones will be hoping to strengthen his squad in the most unique and testing of circumstances.
Jones was one of the biggest-spending Championship managers last summer when he signed striker Michael Chopra from Sunderland for £4m and Mark Hudson for £1m from Charlton Athletic.
But the Cardiff boss has been told he must work on a financial shoestring this summer - in between embargoes - with free signings and loan players as the board aim to restructure their debt but continue Cardiff's Premier League promotion push.
"It is just when we get players in, we must make sure they are the right ones," said Jones.
Jones has been boosted as Cardiff have been able to keep most of their star players that narrowly missed out on Premier League promotion as they lost 3-2 to Blackpool in the Championship play-off defeat.
Wales midfielder Joe Ledley left on a free transfer to Celtic in the summer but Cardiff rejected summer bids for top-scorer Peter Whittingham from Burnley and Nottingham Forest and from Ipswich Town for striker Michael Chopra.
"I haven't had to sell anyone," he said.
"Ten players have left the club but it was only to Joe that we made an offer to stay. We're trying to improve.
"To keep all of the players is good. We have fended off all of the silly bids from people that have been putting in to the football club because they think there is a fire-sale.
"We have never said we'd never sell a player but it has to be the right offer for the club. There doesn't have to be a fire-sale here like there has been at this football club in the past."
Kevin McNaughton has signed a new three-year deal at the Welsh club but seven other Cardiff stars will see their contracts expire in the summer of 2011.
The Cardiff contracts of striker Jay Bothroyd, midfield quartet Stephen McPhail, Gavin Rae, Chris Burke and Whittingham and defensive duo Adam Matthews and Darcy Blake are all due to run out in 12 months time.
"The priority was to get the embargo off and get some new players in," said Jones.
"I already have the current players here for another year and then the chief executive can work to negotiate the other contracts - probably once the summer transfer window is closed."
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