Sean St Ledger will join Millwall on loan for the rest of the season – but not until after the Lions face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium tonight.
The Republic of Ireland international defender has recently returned after five months out of the game with a hamstring injury and City have decided to allow him out to gain valuable match fitness after such a lengthy lay-off.
With Michael Keane performing so well alongside captain Wes Morgan and Zak Whitbread fit again after a calf problem, manager Nigel Pearson has decided St Ledger will be better off getting game time elsewhere.
The deal was done late yesterday as the loan window closed and the 28-year-old will not be allowed to link-up with the Lions until after tonight's game, or have any contact with Kenny Jackett's outfit after taking part in City's preparations.
He will be available for Millwall's remaining league fixtures and their FA Cup semi-final with Wigan Athletic at Wembley.
At the end of the regular season, St Ledger will return to City and will be available for the play-offs .
Meanwhile, City manager Nigel Pearson has urged his players to handle the pressure of what has become an eight-game season, starting with tonight's visit of Millwall (7.45).
Pearson flew his troops out to Portugal during the international break for warm-weather training and frank talks about their recent form.
City have picked up just one win from their last nine league games and put their promotion chances in real jeopardy.
But Pearson said the time for talking was over and City must now deliver during the most pressurised period of the campaign.
"We are under pressure to perform, we know that, the players all know that, but I know we can deliver," he said.
"The game against Millwall is going to be a key game for us, there is no doubt about that.
"I think the break came at a good time for us. The most important thing was to go away and discuss what has happened previously, but also to draw a line under it.
"Now it is about going out and performing.
"It is a fine line between success and failure, and I would be the first to admit that some of our performances have not been the best.
"But also we have not had the rub of the green at times. You can't dwell on those negatives.
"We really have to make sure that, in these final eight games, we get back to playing as near to our best as possible.
"If we do that, then we are capable of beating anyone in the division.
"Unfortunately, on the back of the run we have had, it is clear we have to go out and change things pretty quickly."
