Ankle surgery rules out Kranjcar

Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar is set to miss up to three months of the season after undergoing ankle surgery.

The 24-year-old ruptured ligaments on international duty for Croatia during their 3-2 win over Slovenia last week.

"He faces an estimated eight-to-12 weeks before being able to play first-team football again," read a statement on the club's website.

Kranjcar will now miss Croatia's crucial World Cup qualifier with England in Zagreb on 10 September.

The playmaker's absence is a huge blow for Portsmouth, who are currently bottom of the Premier League table having lost both of their matches this season.

Kranjcar was operated on by James Calder, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialist in foot and ankle surgery, on Wednesday morning.

A statement on the club's official website said: "The same surgeon operated on former Pompey player Pedro Mendes last season when he had a similar injury.

"Blues club doctor, Nigel Sellars, attended the operation along with the orthopaedic surgeon to the Croatia national team.

"The 24-year-old will wear a non-weight bearing case for the three weeks before beginning rehabilitation weeks."

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