STEVE Bruce admits Hull City will enter the final days of the January transfer window with only slim hopes of landing a new striker.
Despite bringing in Robbie Brady, David Meyler and David Stockdale to bolster the ranks this month, Bruce has so far failed to sign the fresh attacking option he craves.
City's attacking flaws were in evidence again as they were dumped out of the FA Cup in a flat 1-0 defeat to Barnsley on Saturday, a loss Bruce accepted revealed a long-standing "Achilles heel" in his ranks.
Attempts to sign QPR's DJ Campbell appear to have hit a deadlock since talks were held and City's recruitment has slowed to a standstill before Thursday's deadline.
"We're nowhere near anything at the moment, I've got to be honest and portray that," he told the Mail.
"We'll have to see what develops but it's proving to be a very difficult window at the moment.
"There's lot of names being bandied around but we're honestly not close to anything right now.
"One thing is the money being demanded and the other thing is the availability.
"Unless a club is in financial meltdown, clubs aren't really wanting to let centre-forwards go who are capable of making a difference."
Having missed out on Fraizer Campbell to promotion rivals Cardiff earlier in the month, City were initially hopeful a bid for DJ Campbell would help fill the void left by the injured Sone Aluko.
Talks were held between the Tigers and QPR throughout last week, but a swell of interest in the 31-year-old striker has stalled City's advances.
The Mail understands he is holding out for a three-and-a-half-year deal if he is to leave Loftus Road this month, demands City are reluctant to accept.
An FA Cup exit at the hands of Barnsley did little to quell the calls for a new forward. Despite dominating long periods of the fourth round tie, a blunt cutting-edge denied City a place in the last 16.
City remain optimistic wing-back Ahmed Elmohamady will return from Sunderland either before Thursday's deadline or on an emergency loan next month, but that deal is another out of their control.
Bruce took his promotion-chasing squad for a short warm-weather training camp in Portugal last night but knows his squad may travel to Millwall without additions.
"The squad has been strong enough up to now," he said, with his side sitting third in the Championship. "Obviously, the loss of key players like Aluko and Elmohamady has taken a bit of an edge off us and the way we play but you have to get on with it.
"You have to put up with the injuries and suspensions.
"We've been dealt a cruel blow with Matty Fryatt and Aluko. If we can do something then we'll try but at the moment we keep getting a knock-back.
"It's not all doom and gloom. We're disappointed with going out of the cup, but we dust ourselves down and go again.
"It's a big month ahead."
