AFC Wimbledon defender Will Nightingale will be out of action for up to seven months after a scan revealed his knee injury was worse than first believed.

Boss Neal Ardley was hoping the 20-year-old academy product would be out for no more than two months.

However, Ardley admitted today that the results of the scan have probably ended Nightingale’s season.

He told the club’s website: “Will went in for surgery on Thursday evening and when the surgeon took a look at him the knee injury seemed to be a lot worse than the MRI scan had originally shown.

“We initially thought we had a couple of options and the one we were looking to take would have kept him out for six to eight weeks.

“However, the tear was a lot wider than they thought and the first operation did not become an option.

“They have to take a more serious route, which was the possible longer term one.

“Unfortunately, it is going to be about seven months for Will to recover from that so it is probably his season done now.”

He added: “Our heart goes out to Will because he has had a lot of bad luck.

“We have all spoken to Will and rallied around him. He has a long road to recovery now, but we will be here for him. We feel that we have a super talent for the future.”