ALBION have borrowed themselves into a hole after losing Aaron Hughes.
The experienced Northern Ireland defender was stretchered off with suspected long-term ankle damage in the early stages of the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.
The absence of Hughes, the Seagulls’ third choice centre-half, is likely to force Albion into the loan market again, especially with Gordon Greer and Lewis Dunk both still a booking away from suspension.
The month-long captures of goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi from Wigan and Elliott Bennett from Norwich has raised the number of loan signings on the books to five, with Joe Bennett and Gary Gardner already borrowed from Aston Villa and Joao Teixeira from Liverpool.
That is the maximum number allowed in the matchday squad, so manager Sami Hyypia will be forced to leave two loan signings out if Albion sign cover for Hughes and a striker.
Hyypia said: “The rule is you can have only five loan players and with Elliott coming we have five, so then we would need to leave somebody out. I don’t know if that’s a good idea but of course it’s a concern if Aaron is out for a long while. It maybe would be reasonable to try to get somebody in.”
Original article
The experienced Northern Ireland defender was stretchered off with suspected long-term ankle damage in the early stages of the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.
The absence of Hughes, the Seagulls’ third choice centre-half, is likely to force Albion into the loan market again, especially with Gordon Greer and Lewis Dunk both still a booking away from suspension.
The month-long captures of goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi from Wigan and Elliott Bennett from Norwich has raised the number of loan signings on the books to five, with Joe Bennett and Gary Gardner already borrowed from Aston Villa and Joao Teixeira from Liverpool.
That is the maximum number allowed in the matchday squad, so manager Sami Hyypia will be forced to leave two loan signings out if Albion sign cover for Hughes and a striker.
Hyypia said: “The rule is you can have only five loan players and with Elliott coming we have five, so then we would need to leave somebody out. I don’t know if that’s a good idea but of course it’s a concern if Aaron is out for a long while. It maybe would be reasonable to try to get somebody in.”
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- Bennett can be dynamite for Albion but Hyypia still wants another striker
- Albion borrow themselves into a hole as Hughes is stretchered off
- Reds boss Gregory is urged not to throw in the towel
- Video: Watch the highlights as Albion lose at Bournemouth in the Championship
Original article