Hibs have confirmed that Rocky Bushiri will be out of action for up to three months through injury.
The centre-back was stretchered off with a serious looking injury against Hearts at the weekend.
After undergoing a scan this week, it was revealed the 23-year-old picked up an ankle injury.
He will be reviewed by an ankle specialist at the end of the week but will be unavailable for at least three months.
We can confirm @BushiriRocky will be out for at least three months with an ankle injury. Everyone at Hibernian FC wishes Rocky all the best with his recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch as soon as possible 💚
— Hibernian Football Club (@HibernianFC) January 27, 2023
Lee Johnson commented: “Firstly we’re all gutted for Rocky and wish him a speedy recovery.
“Rocky is an important player for us, and we felt like he was getting better week on week.
“We will provide him with all the support he needs, rally around him, and help him return fitter and stronger than before.”
Rocky Bushiri added: “This injury has been difficult for me to get my head around, but I have to stay positive and focus on returning stronger.
“I felt like Hibs fans were starting to see the best of me, so I’m determined to come back an even better player and hope to see all the fans soon.”
It would now seem that the Easter Road club will need to enter the transfer market for a defender as a matter of urgency.
As well as the blow for Bushiri, Ryan Porteous is expected to complete he transfer to Watford by the end of this week.
With his contract up in the summer, Hibs have opted to cash in for around £500,000 for the Scotland international.
They will also lose Kevin Nisbet before the month is up, with the striker headed for Millwall in a deal worth £2.4million.
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