Doncaster Rovers: Ferguson steps up loan search as injuries mount

Luke McCullough became the eighth senior player to be struck down with injury after a knee issue forced him off early in Tuesday night’s friendly win over York City.

And Ferguson will now prioritise securing the signing of a central defender with the start of the season rapidly approaching.

“We’re still looking at maybe bringing one or two in,” Ferguson told the Free Press, prior to the cancellation of Friday’s friendly against Coventry City.

“We’re definitely looking at bringing in another centre half now if we can because of what we’ve got available. Mitchell Lund had to play there against York.

“Anything we do now will be loan signings.

“We have to see how Joe Wright gets through the week and hopefully he will get through the Coventry game on Friday okay.

“We did have the security of having McCullough who can play in that position but obviously if he is out, it rushes the decision a little bit more.

“We have spoken to a few people about centre halves already.

“And we’re still looking at bringing in a striker.”

Injuries to McCullough, Wright, Mathieu Baudry, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and Craig Alcock have left Rovers light on defensive cover.

Defender Wright was set to train with the physios yesterday before joining in with full training today.

Alcock has been ruled out for at least three months with an ankle injury while Baudry is set to be absent until mid-August with an Achilles issue.

Paul Keegan is due to return to training today.

And Ferguson has revealed that Gary McSheffrey will miss the start of the season and is unlikely to return until mid-August.

Harry Middleton does have a chance of making the start of the campaign with his knee problem not as severe as first feared.

Ferguson admits he has been taken aback by the injury situation at the club.

He said: “I don’t know what is going on.

“As a manager, once you get through pre-season you look for the amount of injuries you’ve got and the amount of players you’ve got fit.

“You look at how many muscle injuries you’ve got and we haven’t had any.

“It’s innocuous things but they tend to be more long term.

“But we have to deal with it.”