Cardiff City caretaker manager Dean Whitehead says the club are "close" to signing a striker this month.

The temporarily promoted first team coach is in charge on a game-by-game basis after the sacking of Mark Hudson .

Cardiff are able to sign loan players and free agents after having their transfer embargo lifted, with some restrictions remaining in place.

"Ultimately, the squad needs help. We need help. We need players in to freshen up the squad," said Whitehead.

"I'm part of [the transfer process] until people tell me I'm not. We're looking at players, we're looking at people to bring to the football club and it's an ongoing process.

"We're very close on one and got a couple of other things that we're looking at."

Asked what position he was close to signing, Whitehead said: "A number nine."

The former Sunderland and Stoke midfielder added: "We want to try and get strikers on the pitch and in the building, so that's our priority at the moment, to get people in who can score goals."

The lifting of the Bluebirds' transfer embargo follows Cardiff paying the first instalment of the ￡15m transfer fee for striker Emiliano Sala, who died in a plane crash en route to joining the club in January 2019.

Fifa imposed a transfer embargo for three transfer windows following Cardiff's refusal to pay the first instalment of the fee they had agreed for Argentine striker Sala.

Cardiff had insisted Sala was not officially registered as their player.

They lost their appeal against that ruling by Fifa at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in 2022.

Fifa has confirmed to BBC Sport Wales that the transfer embargo it imposed on the club has been lifted, following the English Football League removing restrictions on Cardiff last week.

However, Cardiff are only able to sign free agents and loan players, they are still prohibited from spending transfer fees.

Defender Mark McGuinness has returned to Cardiff after being recalled from his loan at Sheffield Wednesday, but the club are yet to make any other signings this month.

"I think the recruitment team will have a list of players… and they will be doing everything they can to get players into the club," said Whitehead.

"We are working really hard behind the scenes to get players into the club and hopefully we will have one or two before the Hull game [on 4 February]".

Hudson became the second manager sacked by Cardiff this season when his 118-day tenure ended with a 1-1 draw with Wigan.

Hudson succeeded Steve Morison, who was sacked in September after being allowed to sign 17 players in the summer.

Whitehead, who joined the club as a coach under Hudson, says he is happy to continue in charge of the first team for as long as possible and admits he has managerial ambitions.

"I think eventually along my journey I want to be a manager. Has it come quicker than I expected? Yes of course it has, but this is the situation now and I embrace it and take it head on," he said.