Cardiff winger Craig Noone set to miss start of season

Cardiff City's Craig Noone celebrates scoring his team's opening goal against Manchester City last season

Cardiff City winger Craig Noone is set to miss the start of the season with a recurrence of a groin injury.

The former Brighton player has not travelled with the rest of the squad for their pre-season tour of Austria and faces more tests on Friday.

Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Noone will miss the Championship kick-off at Blackburn Rovers on 8 August.

"We really need to look into it and it looks like it might be a while before we see him," Solskjaer said.

"It needs sorting before he gets back on the pitch anyway.

"He has already lost another week of training, he will lose this week and so he has lost the best part of three or four weeks. I cannot see him being ready for when the league starts.

"It's frustrating because he makes a difference. He does give us that little bit extra, but of course we have players who could do well also."

The injury restricted Noone's appearances in the Premier League last season and the 26-year-old suffered a recurrence during the opening pre-season game with Carmarthen Town.

Meanwhile, new Cardiff recruit Kagisho Dikgacoi has not travelled to Austria because the club could not get him a visa, but it is hoped the matter will be sorted early next week.