You are the project manager for a software development project. Midway through the project, a critical team member, who is an expert in a specific programming language, unexpectedly leaves the company. This creates a significant skill gap in your team. You have limited budget flexibility and a strict project deadline.

A$.$ Hire an external consultant with the required expertise, even if it exceeds the budget.

B$.$ Reallocate existing team members to cover the skill gap and provide them with rapid training.

C$.$ Request additional budget from upper management to hire a replacement immediately.

D$.$ Reduce the project scope to accommodate the available team's capabilities.

E$.$ Negotiate with the client to extend the project deadline to allow for proper resource allocation