Charlton boss wants cash to boost squad

But whether the cash-strapped club can afford reinforcements is another matter, although Parkinson is adamant changes need to be made to arrest the slide that has seen them equal their worst ever winless streak of 16 games.

He said: "When that January transfer window opens, we need to get some stronger mentalities and characters in that starting eleven.

"We've showed we can play and we can compete, but we've struggled when you need to roll your sleeves up and be resilient for the whole game, which we didn't do against Sheffield United.

"We've mapped out how we want the squad to look. Steve Waggott, Richard Murray and the board are all working together and we're talking to players.

"Ideally, if we are going to bring players in, then we want to bring them in straight away.

"We have a squad written down with new additions of how we'd like it to look in an ideal world, and we're speaking to players' agents and other managers all the time, although there is no guarantee that any of those players will come.

"We need to bring some players in to give everyone a lift; the supporters and the current group of players. Nothing lifts a team more than one, two or even three or four new bodies walking into the building.

"It lifts the training ground and certainly lifts the dressing room."

Several members of the Addicks squad look set to leave, although the future of China international Zheng Zhi is undecided.

Zheng has been sidelined with a metatarsal injury since October and should return to training in January, but Parkinson is in the dark about whether one of his key midfielders will be available to him.

He said: "ZiZi is an asset for the club and I don't know whether he is going to move.

"He's been injured for a long time so no one has been able to watch him play, but if he does [go], it will generate money, which hopefully we could use in other areas.

"As much as we target people coming in, we have two or three players for each position we are looking at relative to what kind of money is available. ZiZi's situation will play a part in that."

Parkinson's own future is also unclear, with the Charlton board carrying out a "strategic review of the position", according to press reports.

With results not improving since the departure of Alan Pardew Parkinson has not been able to inspire a revival and the Addicks face an uphill struggle to avoid the drop into League One this season.

A new boss will have precious little time to assess the squad and bring in new recruits during the transfer window, while more attractive jobs are now on offer from the likes of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, who both parted company with their managers recently.