Ryan Hedges will be out for at least three months after sustaining a hamstring injury against Ipswich Town.
The winger was taken off eight minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute at Portman Road. Hedges hobbled off the pitch and after the game, Jon Dahl Tomasson feared he would be 'out for some time'.
Those fears were confirmed by the medical report, with Hedges set to be out until Christmas. It's undecided whether he will have surgery, with Rovers considering their options and getting a second opinion from a specialist.
"Sam Barnes is out, Sam Gallagher is out and Niall Ennis is not available," Tomasson said. "It's extremely disappointing to lose Ryan.
READ MORE: VLL record £20m loss as Blackburn Rovers cost breaks £200m
"He is one of the players that has played a lot, he is an experienced player, it is a young squad. Along with Sam Gallagher, he is one of the oldest in the squad.
"He will probably be out for three months, maybe even longer. We have to wait and see.
"It is extremely disappointing for the lad but also for the team as a senior player. That is football, it's a lot of players in the same position that are getting injured.
"We can't change that. We are playing a lot of games, it can happen in football."
"Maybe, we are speaking to a specialist so we will wait and see," he added.
Hedges' injury leaves Rovers with Dilan Markanday, Tyrhys Dolan, Arnor Sigurdsson and Andrew Moran as options to play on the right of the attack. Rankin-Costello could be another option as a more advanced player though he's not played there under Tomasson.
The Welshman has been a consistent performer for Rovers and has managed to avoid a serious injury until now at Ewood Park. The winger will hope to be fit for the New Year and play a role in the second half of the season.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel