Rangers loanee Glenn Middleton has been dealt a significant injury blow and may not feature again for St Johnstone this year.
Middleton had featured in every domestic game he’d been eligible for this season until the Saints’ Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic on Saturday.
The 21-year-old missed out at Hampden after picking up a hamstring injury on Scotland U21s duty last week.
A few days before the semi-final, St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson said it was unclear how serious the problem was. However, the Perth club have now been able to put a timescale on his recovery.
“Glenn will be out for four to six weeks,” said Davidson [The Courier]. “Which will take us up to Christmas time.
“He’s young, so hopefully he heals quickly.
“It’s a blow because impact-wise he’s someone who can make a real difference playing from the start or off the bench. Glenn gives us a lot of energy.”
Major blow confirmed for pacy Rangers loanee
This is a significant blow for Middleton, who admitted at the weekend that he hoped the appointment of Giovanni van Bronckhorst would improve his chances of having a future at Ibrox [Football Scotland].
The versatile attacker’s numbers at McDiarmid Park so far this season aren’t impressive, as he has just one goal and one assist to his name.
However, he’s fared well for Scotland U21s, netting twice in four appearances, and it’s clear from Davidson’s comments that he’s viewed as an important player in Perth.
A four-week absence would see him return for Premiership fixtures around Christmas but if he’s out for six weeks, that would take him into 2022 and potentially ensure he doesn’t feature again until after the winter break.