Kevin Nolanplaceholder image
Kevin Nolan
Cobblers are aiming to sign a replacement for Ethan Wheatley ‘in days rather than weeks’ after Kevin Nolan said he was ‘surprised’ by Man United’s decision to recall the young striker.
The England Under-20s international had become an important player for Town before his injury last month but he will be spending no further time at Sixfields after United triggered an option in his loan agreement to bring him back to Old Trafford. He’s expected to sign for a new club on loan before the window shuts on February 2nd.
Wheatley’s departure leaves Cobblers short up front with Tom Eaves and Jack Vale the only senior strikers currently fit and available, but work is already well underway on bolstering the forward line.
"It’s disappointing because we expected to be able to keep Ethan for the rest of the season,” said Nolan on Monday afternoon. “It took me a little bit by surprise to be honest because of the work we did in the summer and we feel we have helped Ethan and he’s improved with us and there was room for further improvement too.
"But he’s Man United’s player and they have every right to do what they want to do with him. He’s injured at the moment and we wish him a speedy recovery and I hope he does well in the future, but we have to move on and we already have. We’ve known this might happen and we have been working on getting someone else in as quickly as possible. I’m hoping that’s sooner rather than later.”
Nolan had already intended to add more firepower to his squad this month before Monday’s developments, but he insists Wheatley’s departure has not changed anything.
He added: "I wouldn’t say it’s changed our plans because you have to prepare for stuff like this. There's always an option on loan deals but I asked Ethan to be straight up and honest with us and he was and he's not our concern anymore – he’s the concern of Man United and whoever he goes to.
"We move on and hopefully we can welcome a new arrival to the club in the next few days rather than weeks.”
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