PAUL Jewell has refused to rush into signing a new defender – for fear of making the same transfer mistakes as in the past.

The Blues boss doesn’t need telling how important it is for him to bring in a third centre-back to both rival, and offer backup, to Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith.

But while fans continue to fear something befalling the club’s only two recognised central defenders, Jewell is keeping calm over the situation.

He said: “This is not Championship Manager. This is real and once you bring players in on wages and contracts, I still want to do the right things.

“The right one will come along. We know who we would like but at the moment they are not available – but that might change.”

While Jewell has thus far failed to bring in at least one new defender, first permanently and now on loan, he knows what he wants, as he explained: “We are looking for that typically English centre-half which doesn’t seem to be around any more.

“We have to be careful. I know everyone is clamouring for us to make signings. But I have made signings in the past when I haven’t been sure and it has come back to not being the right one.

“I have to be brave and strong and make sure I get the right one, even if they are not available at the moment.

“The ones we have gone for perhaps don’t want to come, or we can’t afford them or we have been offered players who we don’t think is the right one.”

For now, Jewell seems to be restricted to trialists.

Kevin Pezzoni, who spent last week in Suffolk, will not be offered a new deal with Jewell pointing to the money wanted by the player’s representatives as well as his only “OK” trial as the reasons.

More strangely was Jewell’s admission that Pezzoni now saw himself as a defensive midfielder having played in that position for “four seasons”.

Next in the spotlight is 31-year-old Ivorian Abdoulaye Meite, the former Bolton and West Brom centre-back.

Meite is on trial at the club this week