Cherries: Loan market remains an option for Eddie (From Thisisdorset)

Cherries: Loan market remains an option for Eddie

7:00am Thursday 14th February 2013 in Latest Sport By Ian Wadley

CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe was last night considering drafting in a loan recruit after admitting the injury to Charlie Daniels had been a “big blow”.

Left-back Daniels is facing a nervous wait to discover whether his season may have come to a premature end due to a persistent foot problem.

The 25-year-old defender played through the pain barrier after sustaining the injury to his right foot during the FA Cup clash at Wigan last month.

Daniels started Cherries’ next four games before being confined to the treatment room since sitting out the home clash with Crewe on January 26.

An initial scan revealed the Londoner had not sustained any serious damage but, after getting a second opinion on Tuesday, he was told to rest for a further two weeks to see if the damage would heal. Should Daniels be forced to have an operation to cure the problem, it would almost certainly rule him out for the rest of the campaign.

Boss Howe could now sign a replacement on loan despite new recruit Matt Ritchie proving a successful stand-in for Daniels.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Charlie has been a key player for us down our left-hand side. Him and Marc Pugh have formed a really good partnership. To lose that at such a crucial stage of the season has been a blow for us but Matt Ritchie and Dan Seaborne have come in, both played the position and have both done well. More importantly, the team has kept winning.

“I have said that we may look to the loan market to see what potential options are available to us there, but to lose Charlie at this stage is a big blow to the team.”