COVENTRY boss Andy Thorn says he doesn’t want to lose Lukas Jutkiewicz to Saints this week – but admits the situation is out of his hands.

Saints are interested in bringing the striker, pictured, to St Mary’s on an emergency loan with a view to making the switch permanent in January.

Jutkiewicz last night scored an equaliser in the Sky Blues’ 1-1 home draw with Cardiff, in what could be his last game for the Midlands club.

A downbeat Thorn admitted after the match that he was desperate to keep hold of the former Saints academy star, but said he is unlikely to have any say in the matter.

“I would love Jutkiewicz to stay,” he insisted.

“You’re asking me something that is probably out of my hands. I would love to keep him, as a manager you would.

“But I don’t think nowadays in the game managers make too many decisions like that. It’s more from elsewhere that the decisions are made.

“It would be hard to lose your striker and have to go again, but we’ll see what happens.

“Jutkiewicz knows what I think of him, and we think the world of him here.

“It would be a big setback to lose somebody like that.”

Saints also face competition from Middlesbrough for Jutkiewicz. Any emergency loan deal must be concluded by 5pm tomorrow.