Nouha Dicko: Wolves striker delays return following anterior cruciate ligament injury

Nouha Dicko signed for Wolves from Wigan Athletic in March 2013, having originally joined on loan

Wolves striker Nouha Dicko is to miss some pre-season friendlies as he faces a delayed return from his anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.

The France-born 24-year-old missed almost the whole of the 2015-16 campaign after being injured in the 2-1 home win over Charlton in late August.

Dicko was originally ruled out for nine months by the Championship club.

But he is now expected to miss up to an extra three weeks of training after undergoing a minor operation.

Wolves, who remain a reported target for Chinese ownership, like West Midlands neighbours Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, had originally hoped Dicko would be fit to start the season.

The new Championship campaign kicks off with a trip to his former club Rotherham United on 6 August.

Wolves head of medical Phil Hayward told the Express & Star: "He's undergone some minor surgery to have a staple taken from his knee.

"It's a very small, minor procedure. It's quite common with surgery. Probably half of people who have surgery have the staple taken out.

"We thought it best to do it now rather than delay it and potentially do it during the season. It'll be a case of easing him back in August. It's not a big issue.

"If he's going to be out for a few weeks we're better off doing it now and missing a bit of pre-season, rather than in September or October and missing four or five games."

BBC's Pat Murphy on 'new owners' at Molineux

"Wolves could be in new hands by the start of next season, as talks progress to end Steve Morgan's ownership of the club.

"More than one interested party is having talks with Morgan, who put Wolves up for sale last September.

"I'm told talks are proceeding constructively and, with Wolves in limbo after finishing 14th in the Championship and the owner reluctant to spend any more money on new players, it's in the club's interest to press for a sale.

"It would be a relatively straightforward deal, a single transaction. The club owns the Molineux stadium and all assets leasing the ground from the council on a 999-year lease at a peppercorn rent. Once agreement is reached, the sale wouldn't take long to go through.

"I understand the asking price is in the region of £50m. Morgan would therefore be taking a substantial hit - having invested £30m initially then about another £75m on new players, upgrading the training facility to Category 1 Academy status and developing a new stand at Molineux.

"But Morgan wants out, provided he can be sure of the prospective buyer's integrity. The club is financially stable, but desperately needs a new stimulus."