Boro boss Graham Westley has admitted he is desperate to extend Michael Brough s loan spell at The Lamex Stadium. The 28-year-old s loan period comes to an end after next Tuesday s league match against Wrexham but Westley hopes he may be allowed to keep

Boro boss Graham Westley has admitted he is desperate to extend Michael Brough's loan spell at The Lamex Stadium.

The 28-year-old's loan period comes to an end after next Tuesday's league match against Wrexham but Westley hopes he may be allowed to keep the midfielder.

The Boro chief knows however there are a couple of hurdles to negotiate to make the deal happen. Torquay United boss Paul Buckle will have to be willing to do without Brough for an extended period of time while the Boro board would have to dig deeper into their budget to finance a deal.

"I would love to keep Broughy here," Westley told The Comet. "He is a fantastic footballer and, with having people like Lawrie Wilson out, having a utility player like Broughy is massive.

"Whether Paul Buckle will let him stay, whether the chairman will let me keep him, I don't know.

"I haven't got the budget for it. It's only by going cap in hand to the chairman and the board that things like that can happen.

"That's not to put pressure on anybody. You can only afford what you can afford but keeping him here, if it was a possibility, would be fantastic."

Brough's versatility has certainly caught the eye in the club's recent performances and Westley hailed the player's attitude.

"He's been magnificent," added Westley. "He was known to me which is a big plus and he understands me.

"He knows what I want of a player and he is prepared to give it. He's been versatile - he's played in the middle of the park, right back and now at left back.

"On each occasion he has dominated his individual job and I think he's been tremendous.