YANN Kermorgant’s injury has forced Chris Powell to admit a new striker is now his number one priority.

The Frenchman fractured his ankle last week in training and was replaced for the 2-1 win at Ipswich by Ricardo Fuller, making his first start since signing in August.

But Fuller’s lack of a pre-season stills means he isn’t fully fit and with a hectic Championship campaign on the cards, and Kermorgant possibly out for up to three months, Powell knows he needs more strength in depth.

He said: “We were able to replace Yann with a player of good quality in Ricardo to have his first start.

“But of course it is the diagnosis, if he is going to be out for a long time it is an area I feel I will have to bolster.

“You can never ever not have enough strikers so if I can do that then I think I will have to.

“I want Ricky and Bradley Wright-Phillips to be healthy but of course we’ve got three games in a week and that does take its toll, especially with Ricky just now getting into the groove.

“You don’t want to set him back so I’d like to have options there.

“Of course I’ve got young Jordan Cook and Michael Smith, Danny Haynes is just coming back but he is not really 100 percent, so it is an area without a doubt I’m looking at.”

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