Ebbsfleet may have to wait until the transfer window shuts before they can sign the defender they need.

Dave Winfield and Kenny Clark are out injured and Fleet are about to lose Sam Magri to international duty with Malta.

Magri will play against Gateshead on Saturday but isn’t available for the trip to his old club Dover on Monday.

The transfer window, which doesn’t directly affect National League clubs, closes next Thursday and Fleet boss Daryl McMahon accepts he will have to be patient to land a quality player.

He said: "Hopefully, we might have one in. We’ll see – it’s like that at the minute because of the transfer window in the Football League.

"Clubs are reluctant to let people out until that closes and then they can get people out into non-league football.

"At the minute, it’s pretty much a closed shop. Everyone’s waiting to see what happens.

"Because the loan market is still open for Football League clubs, there’s a food chain. People would rather be in the Football League than the National League.

"We’re just waiting to see what’s left at the end of it. We’ve spoken to a number of players since the Maidstone game (on August 8) when we knew Dave was out.

"Kenny followed after that on the Saturday so we have been working on it but we’ve got to get the right player in.

"Yads (Yado Mambo) and Mags (Magri) have done great but you’re one injury away from it being a nightmare if one of them goes so we have to guard ourselves against that."

Throw in a tight hamstring for left-back Jack Connors and Fleet really are facing a conundrum at the back.

They’ve signed trialist Jean-Yves Niate, a former Solihull Moors and Oxford City centre-half who made his Ebbsfleet debut in the Kent Senior Cup defeat to Bromley on Tuesday.

But more reinforcements are needed and McMahon is reluctant to dip into the loan market.

He said: "We’ve turned players down. I’d rather wait for the right player than do a short-term fix that’s not right for the group or the club.

"If we can sign somebody permanent, I would like to do that.

"I’ve done very few loans since I’ve been the manager. I’d rather have people that are in the building and get to work with us and stay around with us, someone who’s committed to being at the football club - that’s important to me.

"I know everyone wants to talk about here and now but it’s a long season. We’ve worked hard to get to this level and want to make sure we can compete for a long time."