Middlesbrough striker facing three-month injury lay off

Middlesbrough's bid for promotion has been served an early blow with news Rudy Gestede could face up to three months out injured.

Gestede recieved initial treatment on his leg after suffering a freak inury in training, but required a minor operation after Middlesbrough's medical team failed to stop the bleeding.

Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk has revealed the 28-year-old is still in hospital recovering from his freak injury, while reports suggest he will not play any further part in the club’s season this year.

“It’s rare for it to re-bleed, after compression and ice it goes back to normal but it was excessively bleeding, more than a normal dead leg,” The Daily Mail quote Monk as saying.

“He had a minor operation to relieve the pressure. It was a freak injury. He is still in hospital, even though it’s been a very small operation, to let the swelling go down.”

Gestede was heavily linked with a move to Championship rivals Leeds towards the end of the summer window, but has proved an integral part of Monk’s plans so far this season despite a number of arrivals in attack.

Since August 2013, no player has scored more headed goals in the Championship than Gestede (21), who even spent one season of that period in the Premier League.