MICK McCarthy might have bagged three new goal-getters in less than a week.

But that hasn’t dampened his appetite in luring DJ Campbell back to Portman Road before the end of the January transfer window.

David McGoldrick, Aaron McLean and Frank Nouble have all been added to the attacking ranks during a flurry of activity.

McCarthy has already started clearing out his fringe players with Jason Scotland transfer-listed and Ronan Murray yesterday joining League Two Plymouth on loan.

And despite also boasting last season’s top scorer Michael Chopra and Daryl Murphy, the Blues boss is refusing to give up on DJ Campbell who scored a blistering 10 goals in his three-month loan spell before returning to parent club QPR.

McCarthy admitted: “I would like to still do something with DJ – we are still interested. He is our top scorer, why wouldn’t I want him? I have not spoken to him since the weekend and I need to make that call.”

The news will come as a surprise to some supporters who expected the trio of new faces to compensate for the lack of Campbell signing permanently.

A decision on the 31-year-old’s future is not expected for a week or two with Campbell looking to impress QPR boss Harry Redknapp and the Premier League strugglers assessing their options.

But with McCarthy adamant that he still wants to improve his attacking riches, the message to his existing players is clear – step up or be shipped out.

He said: “Their positions are under threat, but a little bit of insecurity makes you work harder. You always hope it will spark them – if it doesn’t, it is to their detriment.

“I want it to make them play harder and better.”

McCarthy’s choice of two strikers for tomorrow’s daunting trip to Championship leaders Cardiff City will be intriguing to say the least.

Murphy and Chopra led the line at Aston Villa in last Saturday’s FA Cup third round defeat with McGoldrick and McLean impressing from the bench in the second half.

It could be that McCarthy continues with former Bluebirds forward Chopra after revealing that he was not concerned about the striker’s race-fixing hearing next week – and his public statement on Wednesday concerning his financial problems.