CHARLES Dunne may not play again this season after breaking his leg in Wanderers' FA Cup defeat by Preston on Saturday.

X rays confirmed the worst for the young Blues defender, with a fracture of the tibia not expected to heal for three months.

After that the 20-year-old will have to regain his fitness and Blues boss Gareth Ainsworth admitted until the transfer window re-opens he will have to put square pegs in round holes to cover his absence.

He said: "The left back slot is an important one for us. It's right to say we might be a bit light there - there might be a reshuffle.

"We'll see if we can get any cover in but budgets are tight and money's not in abundance at Wycombe Wanderers, so there will have to be some wheeling and dealing.

"I got this squad at the start of the season believing we'd have a few injuries and I'd still be able to cover them, and I still believe that. Whoever puts on the left back shirt will know his job inside out."

Asked how long Dunne is likely to be out for, Ainsworth said: "It's a piece of string job at the moment - I don't think the best doctor in the world will be able to tell you that. You're looking around the three month mark before you can start assessing anything."

He added: "Charles has been really good for me in the year I've been in charge. I put plenty of faith in him and he repaid it and he got rewarded with his move to the Championship.

"He's had a hell of a year both physically and mentally and I'm sure he'll come back just as strong. He's an absolute workhorse - he's come from nothing to where he is and I'm sure a broken tibia, however serious it might sound, will not stop Charles Dunne progressing and having a great career."