BRISTOL City have agreed to extend Adam El-Abd’s loan stay at Bury up to the end of the season, Shakers boss David Flitcroft has confirmed.

The Egyptian centre-back has developed a promising partnership at the heart of the Bury defence alongside new skipper Nathan Cameron after replacing former captain Jim McNulty in the starting line-up.

Bury have picked up 14 points from a possible 30 since his arrival at the end of November and Flitcroft is now looking forward to having the former Brighton defender for the run-in.

“We are just sorting the paperwork out now,” said the Bury boss after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Burton Albion.

“We have had the all clear from (Bristol City manager) Steve Cotterill - he was happy for us to do the deal and Adam is more than happy to come up here.

“It is just about getting it registered with the Football League, which we will hopefully do on Monday.

“The loan is until the end of the season – it is a non claw-back loan so we will have Adam for the rest of the campaign, which is great news because he has been fantastic.

“He wants to lead, he wants to put in the work on the training pitch and he has been a big success for me while here on loan.”

Flitcroft is also hoping to bolster his attacking options before the transfer window closes on Monday night.

Veteran striker Ryan Lowe is expected to be out until mid-March with a hamstring injury, leaving the Shakers boss in search of a new target man.

“We are working on something that is a bit left field,” he said.

“If it comes off there will be something at the end of it.

“You have got to have eight or nine targets to get the right one when it comes down to a mobile striker with real power and presence.

“It’s a difficult find and we are still trying to pursue something.”