On-loan West Brom defender Martin Kelly has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, reliable journalist Lewis Cox has confirmed.
The Lowdown: Kelly suffers injury for Wigan
The former Liverpool right-back join the Baggies last summer and made seven appearances, prior to being loaned out to Wigan Athletic in the January transfer window.
Kelly appeared just once for the Latics before suffering a big injury setback, going off on his debut with what looked to be a serious knee issue on Monday night.
Now, the diagnosis has been confirmed and it's isn't good news for the 32-year-old.
The Latest: Journalist confirms season over
Taking to Twitter, Cox confirmed that Kelly will miss the remainder of the season with the knee injury suffered:
"Martin Kelly unfortunately ruled out for remainder of season with knee injury sustained on his debut on loan at Wigan. Carlos Corberan told me earlier the experienced defender is set to go under the knife imminently."
The player himself also posted on Twitter earlier in the week to reveal his sadness at the news:
"I'm a broken man, devastated is an understatement. The boys will build on a good performance thanks for the support and appreciation out there."
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The Verdict: Major blow for defender
This is a massive blow for Kelly, who at 32, will likely be aware of the damage that this long-term injury could have on his career.
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It remains to be seen what West Brom will do with the £7,900-a-week defender at the end of the season, but he is contracted at the Hawthorns until 2024 and it would be nice to see the club remain loyal and retain his services.
The hope is that Kelly is able to make a full recovery and come back the same player - he was hailed as 'outstanding' by Don Goodman earlier in the season - being able to enjoy the autumn of his career at a decent level, whether that be with the Baggies or elsewhere.