Morecambe manager: Loanee situation isn't a headache

Adams added to his squad on deadline day with the arrival of Josh Austerfield on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

The Huddersfield Town midfielder became the sixth loanee on the Shrimps’ books, joining Jensen Weir, Liam Shaw, Michael Mellon, Dynel Simeu and Caleb Watts.

Only five loan players can be named in an 18-man matchday squad, meaning one of them will be on the sidelines starting with Saturday’s trip to Derby County.

“It won’t give me a headache,” the manager said, speaking before training on Thursday.

“Five can be in the squad and one will miss out: Caleb had picked up an injury and we’re assessing how he is for Saturday’s game.

“From a financial point of view, it means we didn’t have to take in a permanent signing which is more expensive.

“What it means is we have six loan players who have come here from a higher division and they have a lot of potential, which we have seen.”

Austerfield was Morecambe’s fourth signing of the January window, following fellow loanees Mellon and Simeu, as well as Dan Crowley.

Ousmane Fane, Dylan Connolly, Shane McLoughlin and Anthony O’Connor all departed for pastures new, while injury ended Huddersfield striker Kieran Phillips’ loan stay.

Jon Obika became the sixth departure on deadline day after agreeing a loan move to Motherwell for the rest of the season.

As Adams admitted, he would have liked to have made a fifth signing and may yet dip into the free agent market.

He said: “We went into the window in a difficult circumstance as we needed players to go out before we got players in.

“We’ve been able to take four players in during the window; we would have liked to have taken one more in but, unfortunately, it wasn’t possible for a number of reasons.

“We had to balance the books and what I’ve been able to do – not that I wanted to – is be in a position where we’ve got money left.

“That enables us to take in a free agent if possible because we’ve made a profit from the window.”