Wanderers striker Kion Etete is set to spend “four to five weeks” on the sidelines after a scan revealed a tear in his thigh.
Etete made his debut as a substitute at Reading following his loan switch from Cardiff, but the 23-year-old has missed the past couple of matches.
Steven Schumacher says it isn’t a “season-ending injury” and hopes the forward can still have an impact in the run-in.
“It is bad news, he’s going to be out potentially for four to five weeks,” he said. “The scan came back that he has a tear in his thigh.
“It’s disappointing for him because he was at a new club and wanted show what he could do, but hopefully we will have him back by the international break.
“It is a grade two tear, so Matt (Barrass) thinks it will be four weeks before he’s back on the grass, but it isn’t a season-ending injury.
“We never thought he would be one to put straight into the team because he hasn’t played a lot of football.
“We always knew he would have to build things up. The plan hasn’t changed, it is just we will have five or six fewer games to do it in.”
Ricardo Santos remains sidelined, although the towering defender has done some light jogging with the medical team this week.
Kyle Dempsey, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Chris Forino are also heading in the right direction with their respective injuries.
“There is nothing new. (Santos) is recovering from that injection he has had,” the head coach continued.
“He has been with the medical team, he has been doing some light jogging but still hasn’t joined in with the main group. We won’t be seeing him this weekend, we will see how he gets on next week.
“Kyle Dempsey is showing good signs, there is positive news from Matt about him. He is progressing really well.
“Carlos Mendes Gomes is getting there, he has been on the Alter-G running machine. He should be back in training hopefully the back end of next week.
“Chris Forino is building up his fitness, he is doing really well. The plan is to get him some minutes in the B Team game next week. Nothing new from Tuesday night’s game, which is a bonus.”
Skipper George Thomason will not be involved this weekend as the midfielder serves the second and final game of his ban for reaching 10 yellow cards.
Thomason started at Wrexham on Tuesday night in the Vertu Trophy, with the suspension only applying towards league fixtures.
