Linnets look set to lose services of young midfielder

Linnets boss Adam Lakeland says he may be forced to enter the transfer market if Cody Johnson’s youth loan from Stockport County is not extended until the end of the season.Lakeland appears resigned to losing the services of the 20-year-old, whose youth loan expires after the trip to Scunthorpe United on New Year’s Eve.Speaking after the 2-2 home draw against Needham Market on Boxing Day, Lakeland said: “It’s a specialist position.“We’re not blessed with two or three players that naturally fit that mould. Greg (Taylor) has been outstanding playing in there alongside Cody, and obviously we’ve got Sam (Walker) as well you.”Greg’s been superb in there for us, but it’s not naturally his position. Sam we using him sparingly, but unfortunately he’s not going to go on forever.“So I think for us as a club, longer term, it is a position where we do need to bring somebody in.”We have identified a couple, we’ve made inquiries about those players in recent weeks, but it’s not easy to get players that are good players that are playing regularly in other teams out, certainly in the middle of a season. “We’re keeping an open mind to what we do and hopefully we’ll get something sorted one way or another.” The Oldham-born midfielder has featured 20 times for the Linnets in the National League North this season but three times this campaign the League One Hatters have recalled Johnson for Under-21 games.Lakeland revealed that a decision on Johnson’s future will be made in the coming days, although it is looking likely that he will have to admit defeat in his quest to keep the youngster at The Walks.“We completely respect, obviously, that he’s their player and what their journey is for him and we respect the desires of the player. “If there’s an opportunity for him to jump up a league and play for a team that’s challenging a league up then you’ve got to think for the player, then it might not be a bad option for him,” he said“But it’s my understanding that’s not currently the case, but obviously we have missed him for three games where he’s been taken back there to play in certain fixtures and I don’t think that’s helped him in the last couple of games for us. “We’ve got our own fight, we’re in a good position in the league and we want to keep on pushing and it’s obviously not ideal when you’ve got a player that keeps getting taken back every now and again, it just adds that little bit of disruption and change.“We have to make a decision, as obviously they do and as does Cody. We’ll just see what the next few days bring.”