Dundee have suffered a defensive double whammy with the revelation that both Cammy Kerr and Jordan McGhee have had surgery.
Kerr’s operation was required to fix a knee problem, while McGhee has been playing through the pain barrier with a broken bone in his hand so also had to go under the knife.
No timescale has been put on their respective recoveries but the best-case scenario would be approximately a month apiece.
It is understood lifelong Dundee fan Kerr was devastated when told he would require surgery, while versatile McGhee, who has featured wide and in the centre, will also be a big loss to the Dark Blues’ backline.
The club, of course, were already coming to terms with the long-term absence of Jordan Marshall as a result of a thigh injury.
It all explains the Dark Blues’ busier than expected transfer window, with right-back Christie Elliott and left-back Tom Field signed up by Dens boss James McPake before last Friday’s deadline.
Both new players will come into contention for starts when the Dens men host Partick Thistle in the Championship tomorrow afternoon.
