Loanees Ben Marshall, Sanchez Watt and Miguel Llera will all miss Sunday’s FA cup third round tie at home to West Ham.
Their clubs have said that they do not want the players cup-tied so Gary Megson will have to shuffle his side for the clash wth the Hammers.
Skipper Rob Jones is fit to return after a back injury so will probably slot in for Llera, while fringe players Liam Palmer, Jermaine Johnson and Chris Sedgwick will all be considered for the spot left by Marshall’s absence.
Megson is still hoping to secure Marshall’s services until the end of the season but the winger, whose contract at the Britannia Stadium runs out at the end of the campaign, has still not agreed a new deal with the Potters. He is due to return to the Premier League side after our top-of-the-table clash with Charlton on January 14.
Meanwhile, Megson is said to be interested in signing Llera from Blackpool and has been linked with a £175,000 move for Rotherham striker Lewis Grabban.
* Huddersfield went into third spot in division one, moving one place above Sheff U but two points behind Wednesday, after a 6-0 win at Wycombe on Friday night, Jordan Rhodes netting five times.