READING FC boss Jaap Stam faces a striking crisis after Yann Kermorgant was ruled out of the beginning of next season.

The 35-year-old forward suffered a serious injury while training with his team-mates at Hogwood Park last Wednesday.

Kermorgant was visibly in pain as he was carted away on the back of a golf buggy and was immediately taken for a scan.

Royals have now revealed the Frenchman, who bagged 19 goals in a personal record-breaking campaign last season, was forced to undergo hip and groin surgery that will rule him out for up to three months.

Kermorgant has already started his rehabilitation, but will not be fit for the beginning of the 2017/2018 Championship season.

“Now the surgery is complete I am totally focussed on getting fit again,” Kermorgant said.

“I’m ready to work hard and I know the fantastic medical team that we have here at the club will do everything they can to help me get back out there with my teammates as soon as possible.”


It means Dutchman Stam faces a huge dilemma in terms of his centre forward options.

Dominic Samuel is expected to seal a move away from Berkshire in the coming days with Blackburn Rovers his likely destination, while Deniss Rakels has been loaned to Polish club Lech Poznan for the season.

That leaves Stam with Joseph Mendes as the only natural striker available for selection, unless he relies on 16-year-old Danny Loader.

Loader signed his first professional contract last week and marked the occasion with four goals in a pre-season friendly against Queens Park Rangers.

Royals were also linked with an £8 million move for Norwich City striker Nelson Oliveira, but those rumours have now been quashed by the club.

The club's head physiotherapist, Jon Urwin, said he hopes to have Kermorgant fit sooner rather than later.

He added: “Yann underwent successful hip and groin surgery yesterday morning and together we are now looking at a rehabilitation process which will stretch across weeks rather than months.”

Stam's attacking options have already been blunted after Garath McCleary had a knee operation last week and is likely to miss the start of the league campaign.