Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy admitted he has been forced to dip into the loan market after an injury crisis – and then lamented the fact such an option won’t be available next season.

With seven players sidelined through injury or suspension (see facing page), the Blues boss has confirmed he is close to adding Fulham winger Ben Pringle to his squad on a temporary basis and that he is keen to borrow a central midfielder too.

Next season, the ‘emergency’ loan windows – which enable Football League clubs to bring in players for a maximum of 93 days during the gaps between the main summer and January windows – will be scrapped by FIFA though.

“I think it’s wrong on a few counts actually,” said McCarthy, when asked about the rule change. “There are some clubs in our league that can go out and spend six, seven, eight, nine million on a player and give them 20, 30, 40 grand a week, but there aren’t many clubs like that. But for the rest of us in the Football League it’s a real opportunity to utilise something that’s mutually beneficial.

“I think it’s sad that they’re going to get rid of it, because players filter down and they get good game time and they help lower clubs. We’ve been helped by Arsenal with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, for example, and in turn we’ve helped clubs lower than us too (loaning out the likes of Matt Clarke and Josh Emmnauel).”

He continued: “It’s going to affect all of us. It might stop bigger clubs stock-piling players and just having them training. It might not though because, if they pay them enough, some players are happy to stay under mother hen’s wings rather than coming out to a club which is not so exclusive.

“In the main though I think young players want to be playing in pressure games with crowds watching. If they don’t get that then it’s very difficult for the big clubs to suddenly stick them in their team.

“Think about some of the success stories. How many times has Deli Alli been out on loan? Harry Kane went on loan everywhere. I’m telling you, they wouldn’t be England players without those loan experiences.”

He added: “I guess the other side of it is that, in a scenario like this, I wouldn’t be able to go out and get Ben Pringle, I’d have to play Adam McDonnell, or Kundai (Benyu), if he was fit, or Alex Henshall, if he was still here, rather than getting a loan signing.

“But we’re pushing for the top six and if we can get a better player than them then that’s what we’ll look to do.

“Next season we’ll change our policy and have to get a squad that covers us – it’s as simple as that. And if we run out of players in the future then we’ll promote from below.

“I’ve always said that if they’re good enough then they’ll play, but sometimes they’re not quite ready and it’s best to get them some experience elsewhere.

“Sometimes, with someone like Luke Hyam, you need to send them out after injury to get them back up to speed.

“I just don’t see the reason for shutting that window. Who is it hurting? There are far more benefits to it than problems, I think.”