It has not been the best of starts to the new Sky Bet Championship season for new head coach Paul Trollope at Cardiff City, but there is still a long way to go before teams start to show signs of where they will finish in the table come May.

The past couple of weeks have been disruptive for the club, with Fabio departing for Middlesbrough in a £2 million move, and rumours circulating that central midfielder Aron Gunnarsson is set to leave the club, with Aston Villa, Derby County, and Norwich City all interested in the Icelandic captain.

There have been calls for the Bluebirds to make a concerted effort to use the funds generated by the player sales to sign a striker, with the club yet to score a goal in their three competitive games of the season so far, but Trollope has been keen to state that up top is not the only area the club is looking to strengthen.

Here, FootballLeagueWorld writer Steve Day identifies FOUR players that Cardiff could sign on loan to improve their squad before the summer transfer window deadline...

Chuba Akpom

The main priority in the eyes of many Cardiff fans is to sign a potent striker.

A potential option for Trollope to consider is the 20-year-old Arsenal youth player Akpom, who spent last season on loan with promoted side Hull City.

Akpom might only have scored three goals in 35 league appearances for the Tigers in the Championship, but he was required to play in a wider role to assist the prolific Abel Hernandez, who was playing the more central attacking role.

The exciting youth prospect has been clinical at England youth international level, scoring three goals in four appearances for England Under-21's and, if there is one thing Cardiff crave that Akpom can offer, then it is pace in the final third.

Lewis Grabban

 

Another possible striker option for the Bluebirds is the powerful Bournemouth front man Grabban.

The 28-year-old did move back to his former club from Norwich City in the January transfer window, but after 15 Premier League appearances, he has failed to hit the back of the net.

The 6 foot tall striker has a proven track record at Championship level, having scored 22 goals in the league the season Bournemouth earned promotion to the Premier League. Unfortunately, he has not managed to replicate that form in the top-flight, and injuries have also hampered his progress.

Grabban would offer a fantastic option, both in a solitary front man role and as a target man option in a front pair.

Trollope is keen to add an aerial threat, with the likes of Anthony Pilkington and Craig Noone playing out wide to deliver crosses into the box. Grabban would fit that bill.

Dan Gosling

A problem for Cardiff since they came down to the Championship has been replacing the defensive midfield grit that was offered by ex-player Gary Medel during their single Premier League campaign.

Medel's departure to Inter Milan after the Bluebirds' relegation has left them with a hole to fill that has so far remained unfilled.

There was hope that Iceland captain and central midfielder Aron Gunnarsson could perform that role, but the former Coventry City man's performances for Cardiff have not been to a standard that has earned him a regular first team starting spot.

A possible target could be Bournemouth's defensive midfielder Gosling.

The ex-Everton midfielder is now 26 years old, but has time on his side. He would offer a robust defensive midfield approach that would add more stability to the spine of a Cardiff midfield that has felt rather lightweight for a number of seasons now.

Jordon Mutch

The final entry on this list is a former Cardiff player who remains very popular with the Bluebirds faithful, after playing a key role in their Championship title-winning campaign back in the 2012/13 season.

Mutch is currently contracted with Premier League side Crystal Palace, but is struggling to earn regular first team football at Selhurst Park.

He only made 20 appearances for the club last season, and rumours have circulated that the midfielder could be loaned out this season, with manager Alan Pardew spending big to boost his midfield options during the summer.

Trollope might have already invested in a creative midfield player, with the signing of Emyr Huws from Wigan Athletic, but Mutch is an experienced Championship campaigner, and would add quality to a Cardiff midfield that is in need of some extra energy and tactical nous.

Cardiff fans... do you agree? Are these realistic loan options for Trollope to bring in before the transfer window closes? Are there better options out there? If so, who would you want coming in? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!