Good form will encourage loan players to remain at MK Dons

The potential of losing loan players in January is always a shadow hanging over clubs but Liam Manning said MK Dons must ensure they encourage their loanees to remain this season.

Troy Parrott (Tottenham), Max Watters (Cardiff), Ethan Robson (Blackpool), Peter Kioso (Luton) and Josh Martin (Norwich) are all on season-long loan deals from higher-level opposition but approaching the transfer window in January, could be recalled by their parent clubs.

With Dons doing well in League One at the moment, sitting in fifth spot, staying the full-course of their loan spells will seem like a no-brainer for now, and Manning hopes to maintain that sense of appeal to his players but acknowledged the threat of losing some of his key men.

“We know we have to be prepared for whatever happens,” Manning said. “In an ideal world, they all stay but we’ll see how that works out. We have to concentrate on getting the best results we can to go into January in a good spot.

“And it’s not just with the loan players, but with all of our players. We’re looking at what the future looks like. You have to have plans for whats, ifs and maybes.

“We have to make sure we pick up as many points between now and January so it is attractive for the players to continue here.”

In terms of the contact Dons have with loanee’s parent clubs, Manning added: “We send them monthly reports giving them feedback of how they’re doing, physical data, we have conversations about that. Liam Sweeting talks regularly to them and has contact with them.”