Cherries boss Eddie Howe is today set to swoop for Norwich City defender Rhoys Wiggins after being given the green light to bolster his decimated squad.

The 22-year-old will return to Dean Court for a second spell after the Football League last night agreed Cherries’ request to temporarily lift their transfer embargo.

Wiggins, dubbed ‘Rolls’ by Cherries defender Lee Bradbury, will join Cherries on a 28-day emergency loan and will go straight into Howe’s squad for tomorrow’s trip to League Two rivals Crewe.

The Wales under-21 international was one of Howe’s first signings as Cherries boss when he arrived on loan from Crystal Palace in January 2009.

He played a starring role in Cherries’ Great Escape and made 13 appearances before Howe’s attempts to sign him permanently were dashed by the embargo.

Wiggins, who moved from Palace to Norwich in the summer, is seen as the ideal replacement for Warren Cummings who is suspended for Cherries’ next three matches.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “We are thankful to Norwich and their manager Paul Lambert for allowing us to have Rhoys and he is going to be a really good addition to the squad.

“He was excellent for us last season and I thought he was outstanding. Hopefully, he can reproduce that form for the month he is with us.

“He was very consistent, he got forward and he’s got a lovely left foot. He was an integral part of us staying up. He fitted in with the squad and that was a key point in bringing him back.

“We know him and he knows us. He is only here for 28 days but he won’t need time to settle in because he is used to everybody and that was an important part in the decision.

“I think he has found it difficult to break into a very good Norwich side and he wants to play. We are delighted to have him.”

Howe is understood to have had several targets in mind with former loan star Jake Thomson among them. Portsmouth’s Matt Ritchie, who trained with Cherries under Kevin Bond, and Reading’s Nicholas Bignall were also believed to have been on his short-list.

“It wasn’t an easy decision because we were only allowed one player,” said Howe. “We needed to think very carefully about which area of the team we strengthened.

“We are without a recognised left-back due to Warren’s suspension and felt we needed to get the basics right and needed a solid foundation.

“Hopefully, our attacking players can score enough goals for us.”

Wiggins’s arrival will come as a timely boost to Howe after his squad numbers dropped to 13 fit professionals this week, with midfielder Sammy Igoe and an unnamed player both added to a lengthening injury list.

Middlesex-born Wiggins is expected to complete the signing formalities after training with Cherries at Dean Court today.