Jim Jefferies fears Kevin Kyle is set to miss start of next season

However, the Hearts manager has accepted that there is a good chance that Kyle, as well as being ruled out for the remainder of this season, will miss the beginning of the next campaign as well. This news is particularly dismaying due to Hearts' likely involvement in European competition.

Kyle has not played since going off injured in the Scottish Cup loss to St Johnstone on 11 January and had double hernia surgery last month. He has another, more recent operation to clean up his hip joint, and Jefferies is hopeful that they have finally got to a root of a problem which has hampered the player since his days with Sunderland.

During a briefing prior to Hearts' trip to play Inverness Caledonian Thistle tomorrow, Jefferies was asked outright about the extent of Kyle's ailment and whether it could potentially end the 29 year-old's career.

The manager rejected this notion, but admitted the start of next season is likely to come to soon for the player. Jefferies also revealed that he will look for a like-for-like replacement for Kyle in the summer having noted the impact his absence has had on his team-mates, and in order to anticipate any further setbacks in the striker's rehabilitation.

"We are all very positive about it and believe this could be the one that's causing the problems," he said. "A lot of people thought at the time that it was the hernia, which probably needed done anyway. We have been very positive with it from the reports we have been getting. We just have to wait and see."

Kyle's bid to return to the side in time for the next campaign has not been helped by the Scottish Premier League's decision to bring the season forward. It will begin on 23 July, just seven weeks after this season's Scottish Cup final.

"That's the trouble this year," acknowledged Jefferies. "It's quite a short break because of the early start to the season and then European games begin. So we are back a couple of weeks earlier. I won't imagine he is back for pre-season training. I think we could struggle to get him for the start of the season. But you never know. Hopefully he is a quick healer."

Jefferies described how Kyle's absence has been sorely felt. David Templeton, for example, has not scored since before Kyle was sidelined. The manager believes that the player's injury concerns have been a major reason why Hearts have failed to seal third place already.

As it stands, Dundee United remain in the chase and trail Hearts by eight points. The teams meet on the last day of the season at Tannadice.

"Kevin was a major part of it when we were flying," said Jefferies. "We aren't a one man team, don't get me wrong. You can't do it like that.But sometimes certain players actually help other players. Templeton has not scored since he went out the team. Temps used to knock it into his feet and go and get the return. Rudi (Skacel] is another one who knows exactly where to go when Kevin is there, and can make runs off him. That's why he has been a big miss. I think if we had Kevin Kyle fit, along with everyone else, then we would have had it tied up a few weeks ago. With Kevin being out we don't really have another player like that. We might have to see if we can do something in the summer and see what the options are, just in case he doesn't play every game next season."

Jefferies admitted it would feel like failure if his team did not finish in third position, having held on to the position for so long.

He sought to increase on pressure on United by noting that they had to keep on winning in order to take advantage of any slip by Hearts. Although Jefferies' side have only won once in their past six league games, they have lost just twice.

With the post-split fixtures now having been published, the focus is firmly on reaching the target of third place. Jefferies has informed the players that all contract talks are on hold until after this issue has been resolved.

"I want to concentrate on finishing the season," he said. "If we get finished in the place we want to be quickly then we will get start having discussions with the owners and things like that. But nothing will be decided or discussed until then."