NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn admits that Cardiff City forward Mark Harris is unlikely to return to Rodney Parade, but he is hoping to add to his squad again this week.
Harris enjoyed an excellent start to his loan spell with County with goals against Exeter City and Notts County in August establishing him as the regular partner for Padraig Amond up front.
But the 20-year-old suffered concussion after a knock to the head while playing against Liechtenstein under-21s in Bangor on September 7 and never reclaimed a regular starting spot.
Amond and Jamille Matt now have 30 goals between them this season and fellow loan star Antoine Semenyo has also been ahead of Harris in the pecking order.
He returned to Cardiff last week having netted three times in 20 appearances this season and is likely to move to a different club this month.
Asked if Harris would be coming back, Flynn said: “It doesn’t look like it at the moment.
“I’m looking at other targets now because we’ve got to move on, but you never say never in football.”
Boosted by another financial windfall following Sunday’s stunning FA Cup win over Leicester City, Flynn is looking to bring in a replacement for Harris to give him another option up front.
He would also like to add at least one more defender, following last week’s signing of left-back Vashon Neufville from West Ham United, and possibly another central midfielder.
And there could be a new addition before Saturday’s League Two trip to Crewe Alexandra.
“I’m working non-stop trying to get something sorted and, fingers crossed, we’ll have some news,” said the Exiles boss.
“Beating Leicester does help but I’ll never push the boat out too hard. If I’ve got to get rid of one or two to enable me to get the players I want then so be it.
“We’ve got a wage structure here and I’m not going to smash it out of the ballpark just because we’ve had a win on Sunday.
“I don’t want to upset all the other players. They’re a good group and it’s got to be the right person who I bring in.”
And, after his impressive debut against Leicester, Flynn is convinced that 19-year-old Neufville (above) is a good fit.
“I thought Vash did very well, considering that we threw him in at the deep end,” said the manager.
“It was a tough game to go into having just come from under-23s football, which is nowhere near the intensity levels of a first-team game.
“I thought, after a bit of a shaky start, he did very well and it was his cross that got us the penalty at the end.
“I thought he was solid, he looked comfortable, and he’ll only get better when he gets used to how we want to play.”
Dan Butler is back from suspension for Saturday’s League Two trip to Crewe Alexandra but Flynn says he and Neufville could potentially play together on the left flank.
“I can fit them both in the same side. Whether I will, is a different matter,” he said.
“It gives me the option of a 4-4-2, we can do 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3. We might get Dan further forward, we might get Vashon further forward. It gives me a lot of options.”
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