Portsmouth flop recalled from Championship loan by Tottenham Hotspur

Former Portsmouth loan signing Dane Scarlett has been recalled from a spell with Championship promotion candidates Ipswich Town.

The Tottenham Hotspur youngster scored an underwhelming six goals in 40 appearances during a season-long loan spell at Fratton Park last season and was handed an opportunity to step up into English football’s second tier when he agreed to a similar move to Ipswich on the final day of the summer transfer window.

However, the 19-year-old frontman has made struggled to make an impact at Portman Road and heads into the second half of the season still awaiting his first start for Kieran McKenna’s promotion-chasing side.

With the Spurs squad decimated by injuries and key man Heung-Min Son set to feature for South Korea at the Asian Cup, Scarlett has now been recalled by Ange Postecoglou and seems likely to be used as backup for his senior forwards over the coming weeks and months.

Imps boss drops hint over on-loan striker

Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala has hinted he could recall striker Freddie Draper from his successful loan spell at Crewe Alexandra.

The 19-year-old frontman joined the League Two club on a season-long loan during the summer transfer window and has gone on to score ten goals and provide two assists in 22 appearances in all competitions during the first half of the campaign.

His parent club are already with injured forward quintet Adam Jackson, Jack Burroughs, Tyler Walker, Ben House and Reeco Hackett and are now missing Danny Mandroiu after he was sent off in the Boxing Day defeat against promotion contenders Bolton Wanderers.

Speaking after his side suffered a narrow defeat at Bolton, the Imps boss said: “There’s players that need to come back. I’m excited by some of the players that are coming back as well as going into the market as well.

When asked about Draper, he added: “(I’m) talking about players that are our players, that are injured or part of other clubs. We have to make decisions on those players because we’re going to need some reinforcements in January. He is one of our players. So we have to make the right decision for Freddie, but we have to make the right decision for the club at the moment as well.”