CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe has confirmed teenage defender Corey Jordan is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Jordan, who turned 18 earlier this month, sustained a serious knee injury during the under-21s’ friendly against Sampdoria last week.

He is understood to have damaged his anterior cruciate ligament when he landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge, with the game subsequently abandoned.

Although Howe did not give details of Jordan’s injury, he described it as “really bad” and said it was “not looking good” for the highly-rated youngster.

Jordan, who signed his first professional contract towards the end of last season, had been training with Howe’s first-team squad after impressing the manager and his staff.

An unused substitute for Cherries’ final Premier League game of last season against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Jordan caught the eye when he featured in the opening 45 minutes of Warren Cummings’s testimonial against AC Milan in September.

The Mudeford-based youngster was handed his first competitive start in the EFL Cup defeat to Preston, replacing Tyrone Mings for the final 15 minutes of extra-time.