Quarshie played all 90 minutes of Sturm Graz's draw with SV Ried and left the pitch in discomfort.
Coach's verdict eases the concern for Eckert
Sturm Graz coach, Fabio Ingolitsch, said only that Quarshie was in pain, but that it seemed the ligaments were stable, and the club was waiting to see the full extent of what is being described as an ankle problem.
That is as much as anyone knows. Saints Marching covered the story on Monday, and nothing since has changed it.
The scare is a reminder of why Southampton loan players out. Quarshie is a Germany Under-21 international who joined the club last summer from Hoffenheim and made 18 appearances in all competitions before the move. Sturm Graz, who finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, announced his season-long loan on the 27th August.
He has been playing, which is the point of the deal, and he played the full ninety at the weekend.
What it means for Saints
Southampton do not need Quarshie this month. Jack Stephens, Keven Schlotterbeck and Nathan Wood all sit high on FotMob's defensive charts for the club, and Schlotterbeck leads the squad for clearances per 90 minutes. A knock for a loanee in Graz changes nothing about Saturday's game with QPR.
The longer view is different. A loan only works if the player comes back fit and a step ahead, so a lengthy lay-off would cost Quarshie months of the minutes the move was designed to give him. The club's announcement listed no recall option or other terms, so Southampton cannot simply bring him home to recover.
Does it affect January? Not on the evidence so far, and Saints Marching have already set out the transfers they would like to see. The squad has other defenders, and nobody is suggesting a rescue mission, although any plan involving Quarshie's return now has to wait for a medical verdict.
The next sign will be Sturm Graz's team sheet for their next league game. If Quarshie is named, the scare was minor, and the Southampton staff will want to know how many minutes he is managing.
If his name is missing, expect a scan and a statement from Austria. Nobody should assume anything until Sturm Graz speak, and that includes Southampton.
For now the case is simple. A defender who needs minutes got 90 of them and then limped off. Ingolitsch's words suggest he will be fine, and Saints fans can leave it there until the next team sheet.
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