Mark Hughes admits he could be forced to wait until deadline day to bolster his Stoke squad with new recruits.
The Potters manager has already secured the signings of Joe Allen, Ramadan Sobhi and Ryan Sweeney this summer, but remains keen to strengthen his defensive and attacking options before the August 31 deadline.
Ahead of Saturday's home match against Manchester City, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 11.30am, Hughes said: "We've got any number of targets we think we've got an opportunity to get over the line. It could be that it goes into the last throes of the window.
"It's not something I like doing, but sometimes the clubs who have the players you'd like to sign change their view and become more receptive nearer the deadline.
"It's fair to say in defensive areas we probably need one more but we'll wait and see if the right player becomes available.
"Every deal is different. Sometimes they happen quickly, sometimes you have to wait until the last day.
"It's not ideal, we've started the season already but we haven't been able to get some of the targets we've chased in the building. At the end of the day it's down to the player and the club he's at. It's out of our hands.
"Crystal Palace are able to go in for a £30m player because they sold a £26m player to Everton. I don't think this club has ever sold a player at that level. Unfortunately we can't do that."
Hughes admitted last week he may look elsewhere for a striker due to the lack of progress in his pursuit of West Brom forward Saido Berahino.
Sky sources understand Stoke made a £20m bid for the former England Under-21 international in July, with Crystal Palace also submitting an offer worth the same amount.
Hughes still remains keen on a deal for Berahino, but feels the change of ownership at The Hawthorns may have caused the move to stall.
"We are looking to improve the group. Obviously we want the right quality and it's a small pool of players we're dealing with," he added.
"We're now shopping in a different market and teams at a high level are interested in them. We just have to be patient.
"We've made bids and we are where we are. They have had a change of ownership but we haven't moved forward since then. They are looking to improve their group as well if they can. We just have to be patient."