Richie Wellens on how Fejiri Okenabirhie setback impacts January business for Doncaster Rovers

It was revealed this week that the striker will be out of action for at least another four months, having yet to feature at all this season due to injury.

Wellens had expected to have Okenabirhie available in the run-up to Christmas after various setbacks for the 25-year-old since the summer.

But with him now set to miss all but the final few weeks of the campaign, the Rovers boss says he must bolster his attacking ranks more than he initially planned to do.

“It absolutely changes the plans,” Wellens told the Free Press.

“We’d have been looking at one and now we’ll definitely be looking at two.”

With Okenabirhie injured and Omar Bogle not in the club’s plans, Wellens’ only striking options are Joe Dodoo and Tiago Cukur.

Wellens’ hunt for January additions is well underway and he has begun scouting options personally.

“I’ve been out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week looking at players,” he said.

“The players that we sign in January, I’ll have had eyes on them six or seven times.

“I only want to sign players that I’ve looked at. I don’t want to be taking punts.”

Top of the wanted list for the Rovers boss is a combative midfielder but attacking options will be high priorities also.

On transfer funds, Wellens reiterated that he will need to move players on in order to raise the money he needs to make the additions he desires - though an FA Cup run with the right draws would solve any headaches.

“We’ve got a little bit but there are things we need to move on as well,” he said.

“There is something there but we need to move players on to free up more.

“We’re hoping that we’ll have an FA Cup run as well. I’m hoping we get through and draw Manchester United away.

“We’ll play them on the Sunday and by the Monday, Man United will have written us a cheque for £1.2million. The chairman will probably give me 50 per cent and then we’ve cracked it.”

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