Preston North End winger sees a specialist about shoulder injury sustained during loan stay at Carlisle

The teenager’s right shoulder popped out of the joint when he landed heavily on it following a tackle in the Cumbrians’ 5-3 defeat against Sunderland in the EFL Trophy.

PNE sent him for two scans last week and he is seeing a specialist to find out if surgery is needed.

Walker missed Carlisle’s 1-0 win at Port Vale on Saturday, their manager Chris Beech revealing afterwards that the 18-year-old had been keen to play in the game.

Beech said: “He’s a young lad who is doing really well, and he texted me to let me know that he was really enjoying himself, and loving it, and he actually wanted to play.

“His shoulder is swollen so that was difficult, even though back in the old days we used to just knock them back in and carry on.

“We don’t do that now, and he’s only 18 so we have to get it right.”

Walker had played five times for Carlisle before the injury, two from the bench and then three starts.

It’s that level of involvement which North End were keen for him to get when they sent him on the season’s loan.

Beech said: “He’s Preston’s player and he’s seen two specialists for scans, and he’s seeing a surgeon to establish whether it will need surgery or not.

“We’ll know what we can do at that point.”

Obviously the hope is that Walker won’t need surgery and the injury can be allowed to mend naturally.

This is a big part of his football education, the chance to play regularly in League Two.

Walker had loan spells with Altrincham and Stalybridge Celtic last season.

He is well thought of at North End having come through the academy – he was the only one of last season’s second-year scholars to be given a professional deal.

Walker was a first-year scholar when he made his PNE debut against Aston Villa in December 2018 aged 16.

In doing so, the former Cottam Primary School and Broughton High School pupil became the youngest player to feature in a league game for North End.

His other competitive appearance in the first-team came in August 2019 at Bradford in the Carabao Cup.

Before the start of this season, Walker played in the pre-season game at Everton.