Cardiff City have been refused a transfer window extension by the Premier League.
The club recently completed the record signing of Emiliano Sala for €17 million.
The striker is missing and presumed dead after the plane he was traveling in disappeared on Monday.
Rescuers have since stood down the search for the aircraft.
Cardiff CEO Ken Choo says they will not be granted any more time to find a replacement and have until January 31st to try and find a striker.
The club are 18th in the Premier League table, two points adrift of Newcastle United.
He's told Talksport: “It’s really difficult physically, emotionally and mentally to try and cope in a situation like this.
“We have to segregate our mind into looking for Emiliano, helping the family and provide our best care for the family by giving them the information they want, which is totally factual.
“And then we are still running a business which continues, and we still have to meet the transfer deadline
Nantes are demanding the search resumes for the missing footballer.
“I have spoken to the Premier League, I have spoken with (managing director) Richard Masters and the Premier League executives yesterday.
“I said how tough it is for us to cope, given that there is eight days to go and we’ve been watching Emiliano for months and we finally got it over the line and then…
“There are eight days to go and we don’t really know how to cope with this scenario.
“But we have to meet the deadline.
“The bottom line from the Premier League is we have to meet the deadline like anybody else.”
The French club which Emiliano Sala used to play for are demanding the search resumes for the missing footballer.
FC Nantes have been reacting to the decision to stop looking for his plane, which vanished over the English Channel.
The club's tweeted to say they and their supporters are "all behind Emi!”.
Earlier Sala's sister also called for searches to continue.
