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Exeter City says ZIFA paying wages for sidelined striker Admiral Muskwe
UNITED KINGDOM: Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has said that loan striker Admiral Muskwe will return to St James Park once he has recovered from injury.
The 25-year-old joined the Grecians on loan from Premier League side Luton Town in August, but is yet to score in eight appearances for the Grecians. He then picked up a significant hamstring injury while on international duty with Zimbabwe in November, which led to him returning to Kenilworth Road.
Muskwe remains under contract with Exeter until the end of the season, although they are not currently paying his wages. They are being paid by the Zimbabwe Football Association as he was injured when playing for them in a goalless draw against Rwanda on November 15.
When he does return to full fitness, though, he will return to St James Park and continue his temporary spell, which will see him stay in Devon for the rest of the campaign.
“It is looking like he will come back to the club when he is fit, but I don’t know when he is going to be fit yet,” Caldwell said.
“He is still at Luton doing his rehab for his hamstring injury and when that gets better and he is fully fit to train, he will come back and train and try and get back in the team – as Dion Rankine did when he got injured and went back to Chelsea.
“They are dealing with the injury at the moment, but when he is fully fit, then he will come back and train with us.”
Muskwe’s loan has been hugely disappointing so far as he picked up an injury after just one substitute appearance for the club. After returning as a late substitute in the 1-0 home defeat to Barnsley, Muskwe was handed his first start in the 2-0 home loss to Wigan Athletic.
Billed as the temporary replacement for Sam Nombe, who was sold to Rotherham United at the same time, Muskwe’s performances have been underwhelming thus far, while his career record stands at eight goals in 78 appearances for Swindon Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Luton Town, Fleetwood and the Grecians.
“The injury he got was on international duty, so it is their (Zimbabwe’s) duty to pay that player for the period of time he is out, but as soon as he is back in full training, then he will become our player again,” Caldwell added.
The Exeter boss is desperate to bring at least one striker into St James Park this summer – someone experienced – but it is not as easy as it seems with strikers at a premium right now.