Paul Corry believes Derry City would do well to look into the possibility of bringing Freddie Draper in on loan to help solve their current striking issues.
The 18-year-old forward spent the first half of this season's SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division on loan at Drogheda United and impressed, scoring eight goals and earning the league's player of the month award for May.
But along with Elicha Ahui, the Englishman will return to parent club Lincoln City ahead of the League One club's pre-season.
However, should he fail to break into the Imps' first-team picture, another loan is a possibility and ex-Sheffield Wednesday, Shamrock Rovers and UCD midfielder Corry reckons Derry should give strong consideration to bringing Draper in for the rest of this season amid injury and form issues among the current forward players at the club.
"If Draper goes back to Lincoln and he doesn't play games in pre-season and realises that first-team opportunities aren't going to be there for him, that for me is a really good fit for Derry," he told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"If you think of the problems they're having in front of goal, [Draper] knows the league, has shown already he can score goals, that's somebody I think Ruaidhri Higgins will be looking at and just tracking him over the next couple of weeks.
"You find out pretty quickly in pre-season whether you're in the manager's plans or not. Another loan spell for six months wouldn't be the worst idea. European football, playing at the top end of the league, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that one happen."
Also speaking on the podcast, ex-Drogheda United defender Graham Gartland felt Draper's exit would be a big blow to his former club given he had become a reliable focal point.
"When I saw that news, I got worried for Drogheda because for all the endeavour they have and Kevin Doherty's done an unbelievable job, they play with intensity, they can pass the ball as good as any team on their day but they don't mind mixing the game up," he said.
"But Draper was the one that allowed them to mix the game up. If you went to try and press their midfield, they'd play into Draper and then play off that.
"So unless they can pull another rabbit out of the hat with somebody like Draper, in terms of his presence and what he brings, it probably is a little bit worrying for Drogheda because for all the endeavour they have behind the ball, they need somebody down the middle of the pitch that can score goals and link the play."
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