TRANMERE Rovers attempts to sign a striker on loan during the January transfer window will have to be funded by players making temporary moves away from Prenton Park.

Manager Les Parry admits Rovers don’t have any money left in the kitty for new faces unless they can lighten the payroll by sending current members of the first-team squad out on loan to other clubs.

Parry is looking for a front player to cover for the prolonged absence of target man Enoch Showunmi and awaiting responses from three Premier League clubs about potential targets.

But he says the budget for loan players this season is now used up.

Parry said: “We don’t have anything in our budget to go out and get players in. I’ll be having a word with a few of our lads – the ones who are not involved in the first team at the moment – and see if they are interested in going out on loan themselves.

“If we get a couple out on loan to play some games, we will benefit from that because it maintains their fitness and competitiveness. It might give a new spark to the season for some of them. Footballers want to play games, not be sitting in the stand watching them.”

Tranmere used up some of the loan budget for this season on Jose Baxter, who crossed the Mersey from Everton to spend just over three months at Prenton Park. The 19-year-old creative attacker returned to Goodison after last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Brentford.

More of the budget is being used up on goalkeeper Paul Rachubka, who is in the second month of a temporary assignment from Leeds United, covering for the absence of broken hand victim Owain Fon Williams.

Showunmi’s long struggle with fitness problems this season has often left Parry short of options for the central striking role.

Mustafa Tiryaki is a natural fit for the position but the Londoner is still learning the ropes in League One after joining Tranmere from non league Havant and Waterlooville during the summer.

Parry says Showunmi’s difficulties can be traced back to the broken leg he sustained in April of last season.