Motherwell striker Louis Moult is back at Burton Albion as they await the results of a consultation that was undertaken into a troublesome injury.
Fir Park boss Stevie Hammell admits he doesn't know at this stage if and when the 30-year-old former Preston hit man will return.
The striker underwent a minor procedure in October, but it appears to still be hampering him, and Hammell says the situation is out of his hands.
Moult, 30, is back with the Brewers, and they will inform the Fir Park from there about where they stand with the player.
Hammell said: “Louis is unfortunately not with us just now.
“He has had to go down after the St Johnstone game before, which was the most he had spent on the pitch, and had to go down [there] with a niggling problem that we got a small procedure with, which he got a decent reaction from.
“We managed to get some more game-time in before the break.
“He’s back down at Burton Albion waiting on a consultation there, and finding out what the verdict is from there.
“Once we hear back from them, we’ll make a decision, in terms of where he’s at and when he can get back in to us.”
Hammell added: “It’s another one that has been frustrating, it has been disappointing, the way it has been stop-start.
“He’s not our player, he’s on loan here, so we need to wait to hear back about what the extent of any damage, if any, that there is.
“It’s a frustrating one. We knew after the St Johnstone game that it would be unlikely that he would be available for this game [tomorrow’s postponed match against St Mirren], so we had been preparing for that.
“Again, we’re waiting to hear back from his parent club, where he’s at, and we’ll take it from there.”
That will prompt Hammell to dip into the January transfer window, but that’s a scenario he would be doing anyway.
He said: “We need to strengthen, there’s no secret of that.
“We’re short, we have been in my whole time here, in certain areas and it’s something we are constantly looking at.
“Even during the [World Cup] break there were no days off, there was no time to sit back and it was about progression.
“Recruitment is a big part of that, how we improve the squad, especially in certain areas.
“It’s a constant process, we’re looking at it every day, and obviously it will increase as it goes.
“The landscape changes every day in that scenario, it’s something that has always been the case, with players being available, not being available, players being injured, and teams wanting to send players out on loan – ourselves included.
“It’s something we’re ready to do if the right player comes in, that we feel will come in and help us right away.”
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