Jody Morris said finances will likely get in the way of Swindon signing Joe Tomlinson

Jody Morris has said that finances are likely to get in the way of Joe Tomlinson joining Swindon Town on a permanent basis. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam spoke to the head coach ahead of Swindon’s trip to Crewe Alexandra.

Tomlinson joined Town on loan from Peterborough United for the second consecutive January transfer window and the defender has played six times and scored one goal in his second loan spell.

Morris had previously stated he wanted to keep Tomlinson for next season but has now revealed that the option to make his loan move a permanent one will likely prove too expensive.

He said: “I have made it clear that I liked Joe Tomlinson and it [keeping him for next season] would be something that I would like to look at.

“I am not sure the finances are in our league, to be honest, to be able to make that happen.

“I am saying that because the numbers I was quoted, I wouldn’t even insult Clem [Morfuni]’s intelligence and try and ask him for the sort of numbers that I was quoted.

“You never know, things can change in football, and I have made Joe [Tomlinson] aware and I have made his agent aware of where we are, and we can only see how that develops.”

Luke Jephcott is another player on loan at Swindon this season who they hold an option to buy on and Morris said that he would consider exercising it.

He said: “He [Jephcott] is certainly one that we would consider, but where that would be as far as finances are concerned, I am not sure.

“We would certainly look at Jephcott if he was available or there was an option to do that.

“But regarding whatever targets in those sorts of positions, we have to wait and see where we are at.”