Some buttons pulled out of his ankle- Ibrox agony for Sicknote Souttar

Before he has pulled on a Castore Sports top to make his debut for the Ibrox Tribute Act John Souttar has gone under the knife for surgery. 

Affectionately known as Sicknote by the medical staff at Hearts, Souttar left Tynecastle as a free agent during the summer to sign a lucrative five year contract. 

Three ruptured Achilles tendon injuries have robbed 522 days from his career with the central defender averaging 21 league games per season for Hearts. 

A separate ankle injury put Souttar out of action from March 5 to May 6 with that chronic record following him across the M8 to Ibrox. 

Providing an injury update after the abandoned friendly against Sunderland on Saturday, van Bronckhorst told the Daily Record: 

John had to have some buttons pulled out of his ankle. It is nothing serious. He will start training this week. 

Ryan (Jack) had an injury with his calf and he trained already this week. We are managing his load but he will be training with the squad as well. 

It is always difficult in the first week in pre-season. We started with a lot of youngsters, now gradually we are getting new players in and internationals are coming back. 

Alfredo Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Filip Helander also missed Saturday’s 45 minutes against Sunderland.

Souttar missed Scotland’s last match of the season away to Armenia due to injury, with his past record it looks unlikely that he’ll be fit and available for the SPFL opener away to Livingston on July 30. 

CLICK HERE for Souttar’s injury record.