Latics wait on loan players

neal trotman... loan deal has expired.

NEGOTIATIONS could go right down to the wire as Athletic try to keep hold of their loan stars.

At present, of the five borrowed men in the squad who played in the derby defeat to Rochdale, three are not currently training at Boundary Park.

Cedric Evina of Arsenal and Neal Trotman of Preston have returned to their parent clubs once again, while Aidan White, of Leeds, is awaiting news on the severity of the knock to his ankle which saw him depart Boundary Park on crutches on Monday evening.

Whether the trio will only be temporarily absent from Athletic training depends on how ongoing negotiations progress.

Manager Paul Dickov is keen to keep all three men.

But with bottom-of-the-table Preston short of players after a number of loans at Deepdale were recalled early, Trotman may instead be required to take part in the battle against relegation from the Championship after the spell of cold weather restricted him to just one appearance for Athletic, as a substitute against Rochdale.

Should he agree a deal to stay with Athletic, the paperwork for a month-long extension to Trotman’s deal has to be completed by noon on Saturday to make him available for that afternoon’s home clash with Swindon Town.

White’s chances of sticking around for an extra month depend on injury and the intentions of Leeds manager Simon Grayson, with whom Dickov has already held discussions.

With Evina, Athletic would have to agree a deal with Arsenal by midday on Friday. And as the left-sided player has spent more than 93 days with the club so far this season, the only way he could remain at Boundary Park would be either on a standard loan for the rest of the season or as a permanent signing.

The other two on-loan players, Oumare Tounkara and injured Jean-Yves Mvoto from Sunderland, are with Athletic for the remainder of the regular campaign.

Athletic last night slipped to 13th place in npower League One as a result of Plymouth’s 3-2 away win at Bristol Rovers.

The Pilgrims had to come from two goals down to claim all three points thanks to efforts from former Athletic target Bradley Wright-Phillips, Joe Mason and Stephane Zubar.

Two managers lost their jobs in League One yesterday.

Phil Parkinson, his assistant manager Tim Breacker and first-team coach Mark Kinsella were all dismissed at Charlton, while Walsall boss Chris Hutchings and his right-hand man Martin O’Connor have also been removed from their posts at the relegation-threatened club.