Scunthorpe boss Brian Laws hopes to have midfielder Robbie Gibbons back available “within the next fortnight”.
Gibbons has been absent for the Iron since the turn of 2013, after suffering from a ‘personal medical complaint’.
Laws has declined to reveal the exact nature of the complaint, but revealed that Gibbons is progressing well in his recovery.
“Robbie is much better,” Laws said.
“He is now taking medication and is getting much better.
“We feel that it is only a matter of a fortnight before he is back involved with the first team.
“That’s good for us, because we all know that we are a little short on numbers.”
With the loan window open for business again, Laws admits that financial constraints at Glanford Park mean that he is unlikely to draft in any more players to compensate for his side’s injury concerns.
“Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is at this football club,” the United manager said.
“Because we have so little money we may have to use what we have to compensate should there be any injuries.
“We have our targets, but at the moment we are unlikely to be able to do anything because we are mindful that one or two injuries could really damage us.
“So from that perspective we have to be a little bit intelligent and bide our time.”
One player who has arrived at Glanford Park, however, is defender Eddie Nolan, who signed non-contract terms last week.
“It’s amazing that somebody like Eddie, an international footballer is out of work at the age of 24,” Laws said.
“He is not being paid by us and could leave at any time if a club comes along for him.
“We’d like to offer him something permanent - but whether we can is a different question entirely.”