BRENDAN RODGERS could be contemplating cutting short Stephen Welsh’s season-long loan arrangement at Motherwell.
Maik Nawrocki may also be in his thoughts, but the defender, who cost £4.3million when he arrived from Legia Warsaw in the summer of 2023, is struggling with tendonitis and has failed to break into the Hannover 96 first team since joining in a temporary switch two months ago.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is due to go under the knife this morning and is likely to be out for up to five months.
The presence of the USA international was sorely missed in central defence as the champions folded to a 3-1 loss to Hearts at Tynecastle yesterday to drop eight points behind the Edinburgh pacesetters.
PROBLEM BHOY…Dane Murray struggled at Tynecastle.
Dane Murray, standing in for the crocked Carter-Vickers, had a nightmare in the capital following a dreadful own goal for the hosts’ opener and then an ill-advised lunge on Claudio Braga to present Derek McInnes’ side a penalty- just 95 SECONDS after Alexandros Kyziridis had netted the second.
Lawrence Shankland drilled the award low past Kasper Schmeichel to signal the beginning of the end in Gorgie for the visitors.
Murray struggled throughout and there must be massive question marks over his confidence before the Hoops take on Falkirk at Parkhead on Wednesday night.
Welsh joined the Fir Park outfit on a season-long loan on September 1 and has played in four of the club’s last five Premiership fixtures.
The only game the 25-year-old pivot missed was the 3-2 loss to his parent club earlier this month.
NUMBER ONE…Dane Murray lashes the ball past the grounded Kasper Schmeichel to gift Hearts an early lead at Tynecastle.
NUMBER TWO…Dane Murray looks on as Arne Engels ducks while Alexandros Kyziridis thumps Hearts into a 2-1 advantage.
NUMBER THREE…Lawrence Shankland fires his penalty-kick past Kasper Schmeichel.
Rodgers cut short Murray’s temporary stay at Queen’s Park at the turn of the year when he needed to strengthen the middle of his rearguard.
Presumably there is an identical emergency clause in Welsh’s deal at Well and the Irishman may now take the same route.
It’s a dilemma for the Hoops gaffer with Auston Trusty sidelined since the start of the season through injury. In any case, the £6million recruit from Sheffield United in August last year is left-footed – just like Liam Scales.
That’s never a good partnership and Rodgers will need to work fast to solve the problem.
Jahmal Simpson-Pusey may also be an alternative, but the on-loan Manchester City prospect has yet to figure in the top side since his arrival in the summer.
On the other hand, Welsh could settle straight into the team and play alongside Scales, as they have done on many occasions in the past.
One thing is certain – the clock is ticking and, at the moment, Murray doesn’t look like being the answer in the here and now.