Championship managers Scott Parker and Lee Bowyer have provided fitness updates on Manchester United loanees Ethan Laird and Tahith Chong.
Laird has been struggling with an “unspecified knock” since arriving at the Cherries on loan, for the remainder of the season, earlier this month.
Although the 20-year-old did pick up a thigh injury in his last appearance for Swansea City, against Nottingham Forest on December 11.
The full-back was once absent from the matchday squad that beat Barnsley 1-0 yesterday, but Parker believes Laird isn’t too far away from making his debut.
Speaking to the BournemouthEcho, Parker said: “Ethan Laird is moving in the right direction.
“I’m hoping we might see him in the FA Cup or he’ll be available for Birmingham (on February 9).”
The Cherries face non-league Boreham Wood in the FA Cup fourth round on February 6.
If Laird is deemed fit enough to make his Championship debut for Bournemouth against Bowyer’s Birmingham than he will likely only face one his Manchester United teammates, Teden Mengi.
That’s because the Blues boss has revealed that Chong is still a “little way off yet” from making his return.
The Dutchman hasn’t played for the St Andrew’s side since October due to a groin problem which required surgery.
Before he was struck down by injury, the 22-year-old was a key player for Blues with three assists in 13 appearances.
Whilst Bowyer cannot wait to have the flying winger back, he gave a realistic time frame of when Chong would be back in the first team fold.
Speaking to BirminghamMail, Bowyer said: “It’s still going to be a little while.
“When we do finally get him back, he’s still got to train with us for two weeks before we can start introducing him to games. He’s still a little way off yet.”
Tahith Chong’s Manchester United contract expires at the end of the season, but the club does have the option to extend by a further year.
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