On-loan Cardiff City striker Chanka Zimba is set to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines following a hamstring injury.

Zimba made the temporary move to Northamptonshire from the Bluebirds earlier this month, where he has made three appearances to date.

The most recent of those came in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at fellow promotion hopefuls Sutton United, where the 20-year-old was initially hauled off as a precaution.

However, further investigations have revealed that the young striker is going to be sidelined for the next six weeks. 

Jon Brady confirmed the blow, stating: “Chanka is going to be out for six weeks with a hamstring injury.

“It’s a bit of a body blow for us, we have integrated Chanka into the group really well by managing his load with 20 minutes here and there for the first few weeks but he felt the issue on Saturday.

He added: “Joseph Mills has suffered a bit of a setback with his ankle this week but hopefully that’s not too serious.”

The Verdict:

Brady’s ultimatum will come as crushing news for both the Cobblers faithful and Cardiff 

“It’s a blow but I believe in my group and we’ll continue to give it the best we’ve got.

supporters, with fans of his parent club expressing an eagerness to monitor his progression.

Indeed, the former Blackburn Rovers prospect was the top scorer for Cardiff’s table-topping U23 side prior to his loan switch and is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players within the Welsh Capital.

There is an aura of excitement that follows his name, but he will be hoping to make a swift recovery and transition his form at academy level into League Two as soon as possible.