LUCA Connell faces a scan on a calf injury today to determine whether he will play again in February.

The young midfielder limped out 20 minutes into Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Preston North End after feeling a ‘pop’ in his calf – but Wanderers’ medical staff are unsure if there is a tear in the muscle.

He will go to hospital this afternoon to assess the damage in the hope he could be fit to face Leeds United next weekend.

“It is probably a bit too early to tell at the moment,” Phil Parkinson explained yesterday. “We need to find out exactly what is causing the problem because at the minute it is difficult for Matt Barrass (Wanderers’ physio) to see where the problem lies.

“He will go for a scan tomorrow. It’s a real shame for Luca because he has been outstanding since he came into the side and he’d done really well for the first 20 minutes against Preston. We were right in the game at that point.”

Connell has been strongly linked with a move away from Wanderers with Premier League sides Brighton and Burnley both keeping tabs on his situation.

Rumours of a £300,000 bid from the Seagulls were played down by the club yesterday but Bolton still face a battle on their hands securing the 17-year-old to a longer contract.

Connell currently has six months left to run on a scholar’s contract, after which clubs could sign him for a compensation fee.