Key Scotland player dealt another cruel injury blow after suffering significant second injury

Scotland right-back Aaron Hickey is set to miss the majority of this season after Brentford issued a devastating update on the condition of the player.

Hickey, who joined the Bees two summers ago from Bologna, missed half of last season due to a serious hamstring problem, which also ruled him out of this summer's European Championships with Scotland. It had been anticipated that the 22-year-old former Hearts player would be back for the 2024/25 campaign, but it has been revealed that he will require further surgery and is likely to be sidelined for several months after picking up another hamstring injury in training.

Scotland will be without Aaron Hickey for a significant period of time. | SNS Group

An update from Brentford head physio Nick Stubbings said: “The procedure involved the removal of the previous repair sutures and making a new tendon repair. Now we aim to start afresh and help Aaron return to his previous level of health and performance.”

It is a disastrous turn of events of Hickey, who had emerged as Brentford's first-choice right-back and was understood to be attracting the attention of some major clubs in the English Premier League prior to his first hamstring issue.

The news will also come as a significant blow to Scotland manager Steven Clarke, who is still without his regular right-back options in Hickey and Nathan Patterson, who is still injured at Everton. Anthony Ralston remains Scotland's first-choice right-back while the duo stay on the treatment table.