DESPERATION is kicking in for David Flitcroft as the hunt for a new centre-back continues to fire blanks.

Last week the Bury boss indicated that he had spoken to around 40 centre-halves without securing any of their services.

And with injuries continuing to build up after Saturday's derby defeat at Rochdale, Flitcroft has intensified the search party to bring in much-needed cover.

Flitcroft had confirmed his interest in Rotherham's Aimen Belaid, while Manchester United duo Donald Love and Joe Riley were also touted as potential targets.

Former Shaker Adam El-Abd was rumoured for a potential return to Gigg Lane, but opted for a switch to League One rivals Gillingham instead.

Despite missing out on a number of targets, Flitcroft insists that he will not give up hope in bringing in reinforcements.

“I am desperate to bring a centre-half in,” he said. “It's certainly a position that we know about and we have certainly had no joy so we will still work on that.

“That's something we have got to get, the right bodies in now, and get the right cover in every position to get over the line.

“That will probably be the biggest priority, bringing in a centre-half. Right up until Friday afternoon we thought we had one and he's ended up going somewhere else.

“We will reboot it. Behind the scenes it looks dead easy to do that but everyone is after the same sort of players and some of the Championship players that we are after just don't want to come down to this level just yet.

“At the end of the season I think it will be a different matter. I was after one in the Championship that I thought we had done but he ended up playing that week that we thought we could get him out.”

Flitcroft did manage to sign Dan Gardner on loan from from Chesterfield last week to bolster the midfield.

And the Bury boss is excited at the prospect of the 25-year-old linking up with the Shakers' top scorer Leon Clarke.

“He has got flashes," Flitcroft said. “He has probably not been utilised as much as he wanted to be at Chesterfield but he is a player that, with the players we've got, can link up.

“I would like to see him link up with Leon, that's something that I'm looking forward too.

“He's probably 10 to 15 per cent lower than where he wants to be or should be, but he's a player that I want to work with.”