BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
INJURED Hearts star Callum Paterson will embark on the long road to recovery on Monday when he undergoes surgery to repair cruciate ligament damage to his knee.
The Scotland internationalist will travel to a specialist clinic in Bradford for the operation and will be kept overnight for observation, before returning north of the border on Tuesday to begin his rehabilitation process.
Paterson, 22, sustained the injury in the Jambos’ 4-0 win over Kilmarnock last month, crumpling to the turf following a heavy collision with Nathan Tyson.
He was diagnosed with damage to the anterior cruciate ligaments and medial ligaments of his left knee and, even if today’s procedure is a complete success, the promising right-back is not expected to be back in action until October.
Paterson’s future has been left up in the air by the devastating blow, with his current contract due to expire in the summer.
It was fully expected that he would either leave the club in a £1 million deal in January or exit for a compensation settlement in the close season.
However, Hearts officials are now likely to re-open talks with the players regarding an extension to his deal once he has gone under the knife.
