Colin Todd is trying to bring in a couple of Premiership starlets in time for the Christmas rush.

Todd wants another striker and midfielder on loan to boost City's resources for a month that will test their League One ambitions.

With Zema Abbey suspended for the next two games after his debut red card at Brentford, the City boss is keen to snap up another striker to take the weight off Dean Windass.

He said: "I've already made a phone call to one Premier League club about a striker but unfortunately it didn't come to anything. I was told there was a queue as long as my arm for the lad.

"We've got Zema coming back in time for Huddersfield on December 18 but I just feel that we could do with someone else in for now. We've got Michael Symes and Danny Forrest to help Dean but they aren't the finished article.

"Obviously anyone I can bring in from the Premiership would be young as well and won't have played many senior games. But playing for one of the top clubs, they'll come with a good reputation.

"Hopefully it may be easier to do something now that the League Cup is out the way. The FA Cup starts again but some of the big clubs would let the kids go anyway because they prefer to play the senior players in that rather than the young ones."

Todd is also looking for a bit more creativity in midfield. City fans saw the impact that Premiership rookies Neil Kilkenny and Lee Croft made for Oldham at Valley Parade last week.

As revealed in the Telegraph & Argus, City will need Football League approval before adding to their squad.

With the Julian Rhodes buy-out likely to go through next week, the embargo on transfers will then be lifted. However it is understood that the league will continue to closely monitor any activity.

Winger Owen Morrison is poised to come in, but not now in time for Tuesday's trip to Bournemouth, while Todd is still keeping tabs on his long-term left-sided target who can operate in defence or midfield.

City will be watching tonight's FA Cup tie between Milton Keynes Dons and non-league Cambridge City with interest. If MK Dons make it through to round three, the Bantams will have another free Saturday on January 8.

Todd said: "After the hectic programme of games around Christmas and New Year, that would give us time to recover.

"We've got four games in eight days before then and Bristol City away after that - so it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing."