JOE Edwards has suggested Millwall’s spate of injuries could force their hand in the transfer market.
Aidomo Emakhu missed yesterday’s 3-2 FA Cup third-round defeat to Leicester due to a dislocated shoulder while Ryan Leonard was substituted off during that game with a hamstring issue.
It is unknown how long either of them may be out for but they could join Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Shaun Hutchinson, Murray Wallace and Casper De Norre on the sidelines.
Asked how many players he wanted to bring in this January, Edwards said: “I haven’t got a number on it but, to be honest, it’s more of a pressing issue probably now with the more players that have gotten injured, albeit not many of them are long-term ones at the moment. We’ll see what Aidomo’s is, we’ll see what Ryan Leonard’s is and if we have holes to fill, we’ll have to be adaptive with that.
“We’ve been working on it. We work very closely with Alex Aldridge and the scouts to talk about what we’re looking at and where we can improve the squad and what we want those players to look like and that’s been going on for weeks now where we make contact with certain players and clubs.
“The work’s been going on. We’ve spoken about how the January window is not necessarily easy to get players, hopefully it will be easier now we’re a team that look in a more positive place than we were a few weeks ago.
The Millwall boss was also asked how receptive Premier League clubs had seemed to the prospect of young players joining on loan halfway into the season.
He said: “I’ve had a few conversations with Premier League clubs. It’s a difficult one and I have experience with that, having been at a Premier League club.
“With your first loan for a younger player, it’s definitely one you have to get right and be very careful with. I’ve worked with a lot of players in the 18, 19 age group and going out in your first loan into the Championship in the middle of the season is not easy.
“I know when I was appointed with my background and some of the connections I’ve got in the game, it’s an easy equation to make that all of a sudden Millwall are going to start bringing a load of young players from Premier League clubs in. It’s definitely not straightforward with the situation we’re in at the moment.
“I’m having conversations and I obviously wouldn’t name names of clubs or players but we’re looking at it.”
In regards to yesterday’s match, Edwards was also questioned on what he made of Duncan Watmore’s performance after a lively and positive afternoon for the 29-year-old.
He said: “Dunc’s been fantastic in this recent period. He’s a player that I think with the injury issues he’s had in the past he’s one you have to carefully manage because he plays the game in that style of being a speed, high-intensity, impact player.
“I keep referring to the intense fixture schedule we’ve just had but it’s not easy for Dunc to start every game and keep producing that output. But every time I’ve called him, whether it’s been from the start or from the bench, he’s definitely been a spark for us at the moment and a threat to the opponent.”