Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish out for three months

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has been served a huge blow ahead of the Championship campaign with news Jack Grealish will miss the first three months of the season through injury.

Grealish suffered a freak injury during Villa’s 0-0 draw with Watford on Saturday during pre-season and will now be sidelined between two and three months after a stray elbow caused bleeding from his kidney.

The 21-year-old’s career has stagnated since breaking onto the scene during the 2014/15 campaign and this is a further blow to his development after struggling to force his way into Steve Bruce’s first-team plans on a regular basis last season.

“Absolutely devastated… got a nasty elbow to the stomach in yesterday’s game which caused a bleed in my kidney,” The Birmingham Mail quote his father, Kevin, as saying on social media.

“Had a mini op this morning and will now be out for at least 2-3 months. Gutted as season was about to start next week but will be doing everything to come back fitter and strong. Upthevilla.”

Villa kick off their Championship campaign against Bruce’s former side Hull on Saturday and they are one of the favourites among the bookmakers for promotion to the Premier League this season.

In the Championship last season (excluding playoffs) only Josh Scowen (109) and Elias Kachunga (91) were fouled more times than Grealish (81).