Leicester boss Nigel Pearson admits he faces a transfer rethink after Kasper Schmeichel's shock injury blow.
The goalkeeper was due to have surgery on a broken metatarsal on Friday after suffering the injury in training on Thursday.
Schmeichel will miss at least six weeks of the Foxes' survival fight -- starting with Saturday's visit of Manchester City.
Pearson -- who has been charged by the Football Association after his touchline row with a fan -- will have funds available to try to lift Leicester off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League and will hunt for a new goalkeeper.
"Yes, I would have thought so," he said, when asked if the injury affected his January plans. "If it's going to be four to six weeks at the earliest then I'll be considering options certainly.
"Do I need extra Premier League quality? The easy answer to that would be to say yes. I know funds will be made available but, as I've said many times before, it is not an easy window to operate in because most clubs want to retain their best players.
"You can have grand ideas of what you might want to bring in. But it is never straightforward, January is more difficult, there are a few more banana skins. It's not particularly easy."
Ben Hamer, who has made two appearances this season, keeping a clean sheet in September's 1-0 win at Stoke, will deputise until Pearson can bring in further cover.
The Foxes are four points from the safety line and have not won in 10 games ahead of the visit of the champions to the King Power Stadium.
City are three points behind Chelsea and second in the table ahead of Leicester's first home game since Pearson rowed with a fan.
He was involved in a heated exchange with a supporter during the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last week and has been charged with allegedly using abusive and/or insulting words towards a spectator.
Pearson, who was asked for his observations, has until 6 p.m. on Tuesday to respond but, speaking prior to the announcement of the charge, said he wanted to focus on Manchester City.
He said: "My observations are my observations. I'm not going to waste my energy with those sorts of matters in all honesty.
"I think last week I said as much as I want to say on that subject and, regardless of what happens, I won't be saying too much more on it now.
"When things like that happen it's not something I particularly think is constructive on any level. Things happen and that's where we are at.
"My focus is on this next game and we welcome the champions. It's a game we will need to be at our best, if not better."