Daniel Farke is not ruling out a late transfer swoop if Timm Klose is sidelined for two months with a knee injury.

The City head coach delivered the bombshell Klose has travelled to Switzerland to see a specialist ahead of Friday’s televised Championship test against Birmingham City at Carrow Road.

The experienced centre back could miss the majority of the promotion run in if he has to go under the knife - and Farke is preparing for all eventualities.

“We have to stay awake. It depends on what the final diagnosis is,” he said. “We’ll try everything to get him back as soon as possible but when there is a point when he needs an operation and he is out for two months or so, and then a few weeks of team training, that would mean we would have to think about an external solution.”

Ben Marshall is also out of the mix for the final push after Farke sanctioned a loan move to Millwall, but there is no buy option in the deal for the Lions.

“We did this because it was the big wish of Ben and he tried to force this move,” said Farke. “It was a tricky six months for him. He started many of the games in pre-season and the beginning of the season. To be honest he didn’t deliver immediately and then he was out with some small injuries and illnesses and meanwhile we have a situation where there is a lot of competition.

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“When a player wants to have this move you must deal with this. We have made it clear several times we only want players who are fully committed and show the desire to be here.

“If the competition is tough you need players to be here with all their heart. We got the feeling in his position we have Max Aarons, Felix Passlack, still Ivo Pinto.

“Then on the wing, Todd Cantwell, Emi Buendia, Onel Hernandez, Passlack again or Kenny McLean. We got the feeling we could do without him. He wants games to find his rhythm and confidence and there will be a new situation in the summer.”

Meanwhile, former captain Pinto is back in the UK after a proposed move to Turkey stalled, but Farke insists talks are still on-going.

“In this business a transfer is done when everything is assigned. I made it pretty clear we are relaxed about this situation,” he said. “Ivo has had talks and there is no final decision.

“We won’t involve him until it’s resolved and if he was to stay we would welcome this situation because he is a good lad and an experienced lad.”