two-month loan as cover for Bermuda's Shaun Goater and Darren Huckerby.

City manager Joe Royle moved for the 29-year-old Blackburn Rovers player after it was confirmed that transfer-listed forward Paulo Wanchope required surgery on an injured knee.

The cartilage operation on the Costa Rican was due to take place yesterday evening and it will be at least six weeks before he can play again.

That not only ruled Wanchope out of a return to the side, it also dashed Royle's hopes of selling him imminently to raise some cash for further strengthening of the team.

Ostenstad is likely to be competing with Goater for a place alongside recent signing Huckerby in the line-up for Saturday's home clash with Tottenham. With Wanchope and fellow striker Paul Dickov both sidelined through injury, City were without cover for Goater and Huckerby for Saturday's 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.

Royle said he was hoping to recruit Ostenstad, who made his first impact in the English Premier League with Southampton, on a permanent basis.

"He's coming with a view to a permanent transfer but we have not even started to negotiate a fee,'' said Royle.

"He has a proven track record for goals in the Premiership. He's quick around the box and a sound finisher.

"With Paulo injured and on the list and Paul Dickov not ready to return, it gives us another striking option.

"I was a fan of his at Southampton and although he seems to have lost his way a bit at Rovers, I saw him against our reserves recently and all he seemed to be lacking was a bit of confidence.'' City's lack of firepower has been evident in recent weeks. Their last three Premier League games have finished 1-1 and they have failed to score more than one goal in league play since the visit to Aston Villa in mid-December.

Shaun Goater: facing added competition up front.