Former Manchester United defender Will Fish is set to come into contention as Cardiff manager Erol Bulut fulfils his promise to ring the changes for Saturday’s clash with Derby County, at Pride Park.
Fish, 21, was signed just before the transfer deadline for a fee which could rise to £3m with add-ons.
The centre back has yet to feature in the Cardiff squad this term.
But the Bluebirds are without Norwegian defender Jesper Daland, who is still recovering from a leg injury which forced him off just before the interval of the 2-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough in Cardiff’s last game before the international break.
Experienced Greek international Dimitrios Goutas was Daland’s replacement against Boro, but manager Erol Bulut has confirmed Fish will be an option available to him.
“He can also be with us, he trained fully with us. When we need him he will be there,” said the Cardiff boss.
Wales captain Aaron Ramsey will be another absentee at Pride Park, having returned from international duty with a hamstring issue.
But, more positively for Bulut, Cardiff club captain Joe Ralls is available again after a hip problem which has sidelined the midfielder since the 5-0 defeat at Burnley, on 17 August.
Even without the injury problems, Bulut had vowed to make changes as he looks to belatedly kick-start Cardiff’s Championship campaign.
Cardiff are bottom of the table, winless in the league with just one point and one goal scored in four Championship games.
Immediately after the defeat by Middlesbrough, Bulut insisted he would change his line-up in search of the elusive first league win.
And the international break has not diminished his desire to take decisive action on his starting XI.
He said: “There will be some changes. On Saturday you will see it. I have to do something.
“We’ve had four games, it’s good to have the control we had, but if you don’t win a game and you don’t score many goals how it should be, then you have to change something.
“I think it was enough games for many players who played from the start and now there has to be some changes to see some other players if they can deliver what we expect.”