Last Updated: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:29
Fulham striker Andrew Johnson will not play again this season following exploratory knee surgery in the United States.
The 28-year-old has been plagued by injuries this term which has seen him make just 13 appearances for the Cottagers, suffering a shoulder injury at the start of the season before a groin problem in November.
Johnson had travelled to Colorado to consult renowned American surgeon Dr Richard Steadman to try and correct his latest knee problem but, following the operation, he has been advised not to return until the latter part of pre-season.
Boss Roy Hodgson, who may have also lost John Pantsil for the remainder of the season, had been hoping Johnson would be back for the run-in but must now contend with his absence.
He said: "I am disappointed in that, because I was still believing he was going to come back and it would not be that long.
"Now I may be looking at the rest of the season with a limited and inexperienced group of front players."
The former England international has not played since the defeat at Blackburn last month but with Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey sidelined at the moment, the squad is down to its bare bones.