Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross has undergone surgery on a broken leg, after being stretchered off against Leicester City in Saturday’s friendly.
But the 31-year-old’s injury is not as bad as first feared, according to Potters boss Nathan Jones.
The club have not yet suggested when centre-back Shawcross might return.
“Ryan’s injury isn’t as bad as first thought. There’s a timescale, but we won’t announce that,” Jones told BBC Radio Stoke.
“It would be wrong to talk about that. God willing, there’s no complications. The positive news is the fact that it’s not as serious as first feared.”
