George Hirst: Ipswich Town striker out with 'significant hamstring' injury
- Published
George Hirst was injury midway through the first half of Ipswich's top-of-the-table meeting with Leicester City
Ipswich Town striker George Hirst has been ruled out with a "significant hamstring injury", says Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna.
The 24-year-old, who suffered the injury against his former side Leicester in Tuesday's 1-1 draw, is set to meet a specialist who can put a timescale on his potential recovery.
McKenna did, however, add that he can "clearly say" that it is "not a very short-term injury".
"It's a big blow," McKenna said.
Talking to BBC Radio Suffolk, the Ipswich boss continued: "He's been very, very important to how we play and he's developed a lot over the last 12 months.
"He's had some scans and he'll be seeing a specialist to get further clarification on what timescales we're looking at."
Hirst, who helped fire Ipswich to promotion from League One on loan before completing a permanent summer move from Leicester, has scored six goals this season.
The injury set-back coincides with Ipswich also losing striker Dane Scarlett, with Tottenham recalling the 19-year-old from his loan on Wednesday.
Still, Kayden Jackson and Freddie Ladapo are two strikers McKenna can call upon even before the winter transfer window opens in January.
"It's not easy to step into those shoes, but we have strikers here who have done well for us and have been training well and preparing for opportunities when they come," McKenna said.
"And we are pretty close to a transfer window where we try add to the squad as well."