Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has left Shrewsbury Town after a month on loan – with parent club Reading refusing to extend the deal for the rest of the season.
The Icelandic under-21 international proved a big hit at the Prostar Stadium, scoring on his debut against Bournemouth and going on to make six appearances.
But the Royals refused to allow him to be cup-tied in Town’s FA Cup humiliation at Blyth Spartans on Saturday, and have now taken him back to the Madejski Stadium.
That is a blow to boss Paul Simpson, who said: “I wanted to extend it until the end of the season but they want him back and he’s hoping that, over the Christmas and New Year period, he may get involved in their games.
“They’ve got 12 or 13 out on loan at the moment and they want him back at their football club.
“They’ve been really pleased with the way we’ve looked after him but he’s their player so there’s nothing we can do.”
Simpson will now continue his search for reinforcements despite the return to fitness of midfield duo Paul Murray and David Hunt.
The Town chief admits to having a number of irons in the fire and has not ruled out the possibility of having a new face on board in time for the League Two trip to Chesterfield on Friday evening.
“I’m happy we’ve got Paul Murray and David Hunt back, but I’m constantly looking for players to come in and change things,” he declared.
“I‘m only a fraction of the way to changing the squad to the way I want it to be – I’m constantly looking to move people out and bring people in. The players that are here have to prove to me that they deserve to stay.
“There’s all sorts of talks going on, though I wouldn’t like to say something is imminent as I don’t want to disappoint people if nothing happens.
“But, if I could do something before Friday then I would.”
Meanwhile, Simpson has drawn a line under Saturday’s Cup shock at Blyth, insisting they must move on.
“We had a chat on Monday morning,” he said. “Everyone realises it was the biggest let-down of the season and we will remember the feeling, but we can’t do anything about it now.
“There’s still a lot to be excited about.”
By CHRIS HUDSON
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