LONDON, CMC:
OLDHAM ATHLETICS' Jamaican forward Jermaine Johnson could be out for another three months after medical scans showed more damage than initially thought, after he re-injured troublesome knee ligaments in an attempted comeback in a 3-1 away loss to Port Vale last Saturday.
The club's website reported yesterday that initial scans on the 24-year-old's injury were not particularly encouraging and "didn't look good", and indications were that the player could be sidelined yet again.
"The club is concerned that if the injury is confirmed as serious, then Johnson could be out for three months," a statement on the club's website said yesterday.
Should this be the case, Johnson will only be available for the last six matches of the English League One season.
Johnson injured ligaments in his knee in a 3-2 win against Accrington Stanley on November 2 and had been out of action until his appearance as a 73rd minute substitute last weekend. The comeback lasted nine minutes before Johnson re-injured the knee and limped off.
Lee Nobes, Oldham's physiotherapist, had indicated Monday that the injury was nothing too serious and that he was not too worried about Johnson.
NOT TOO SERIOUS
"It's not too serious," Nobes said. "He himself is saying it's nowhere near like he did the last one."
Meanwhile, fellow Jamaica forward Jason Euell could come under further pressure for a spot in the Charlton Athletic line-up as his boss, Alan Curbishley, is keen to do a bit of business during the January transfer window, which opens shortly.
The Charlton boss will have £3 million to strengthen his squad after the Londoners recently announced an £11.1 million profit, most of which came from the sale of midfielder Scott Parker to Chelsea at the start of this year.
"I will try to do something in the window, but who knows?" Curbishley said.
"We've got some money but
it is only the money we took
in because we sold our better players."
Once a prolific scorer at the Premier League club, Euell has now fallen down the pecking order after a series of lacklustre displays and Curbishley has made no secret of the fact that he wants to buy another striker.
Charlton reportedly had a £6 million offer for one-time England striker James Beattie turned down by Southampton during the summer, but Curbishley maintained they would not be going back for the lethal front man.
"We haven't got James Beattie money and for people like that, that's way out of our reach," he said. "We will have to go shopping in the places where we can do business."
