Neal Ardley won’t be gambling on a Premiership starlet in any transfer deadline day loan deal for AFC Wimbledon.
Yeovil’s Everton loanee Liam Walsh gave Ardley a taste of what he might get from such a scenario as his virtuoso performance in midfield saw the men from the west country win 3-2 at Kingsmeadow on Saturday to end the Dons’ four-game winning streak.
But with his side still on the fringes of the play-off scrap despite that reverse, Ardley expressed the view bringing in someone similar who was cutting their teeth in senior football was too much of a punt.
Consequently, any loan or otherwise is likely to be in the mould of recent arrival Connor Smith, a more established character with a point to prove.
“Sometimes you have to develop those (Walsh-type) players,” he said.
“We have got Connor Smith in who’s 23, played a fair few games, been on loan a few times and is fighting for his future now, so I think you know what you are going to get from him.
“I don’t think we would want someone who is trying to develop on us while we are trying to have a crack at the top seven.”
Pushed further, Ardley was non-committal on whether any more business would be done before the window slams shut at 5pm, but there was a hint he may wait for the loan window to be triggered next month.
“I’ve got to have a chat with my staff to see if we think we need to do something and with who if that is the case,” he added
“So I can’t say there will be and I can’t say there won’t be, but if it doesn’t happen we have got to wait a week and see what options we have got in the emergency loan window.”
January Transfer Window
Shuts in
