SAM Allardyce hopes to have at least one new player in his ranks before Saturday's Premiership clash with Portsmouth at the Reebok.

The Bolton boss is understood to be close to signing a defender on loan to cover the loss of his two specialist left backs, Ricardo Gardner and Simon Charlton, but the recruitment drive will not end there.

He reckons he needs to bring in at least two more new faces before the transfer window closes on January 31 to ease the pressure on his rapidly-depleting squad.

"Our problems are mounting and we have to move swiftly," he said, emphasising the urgency of a situation that is getting worse by the day as injuries and suspensions bite deep into his already limited reserves of manpower.

"That is now going to be the key to our continued success. I just hope we don't fall foul of even more injuries and suspensions because that could cost us dear. We have a lot of work to do to ensure that doesn't happen."