SAINTS youngster Jake Flannigan is to have surgery on his left knee next week after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during training.

The academy graduate, 21, who featured at right-back in Saints’ 2-0 victory over Sevilla in pre-season, has had a torrid two years, having suffered from previous ACL problems in his right knee.

Flannigan, who signed a new six months contract in July, now looks set to be sidelined until next year, but remains sure he'll be looked after by the club.

This latest injury was sustained in training with the under 23s at Staplewood last week.

"I just went to shoulder barge one of the lads, I pushed off on my left knee and because I’ve had contact with him my body sort of bounced the other way," he said.

"It was just a quick movement and my knees opened out and I did my ACL, it just snapped there and then.

"I sat there on the floor waiting for the pain to go, I recognised the pain, knew the feeling and the movement and pretty much knew straight away what happened."

The midfielder from Eastleigh posted on social media announcing his disappointing news.

He said: "After such a promising pre-season, I’ve suffered another knee injury on my other knee. As always, ill keep going and you won’t see me give up!"

Flannigan made a positive start in pre-season, having been called up to the first team after signing a six-month contract which takes him through to December.

The deal offered Flannigan the security to push on in the coming months, but with recovery time for this type of injury being around nine months, he will go into 2018 without having a contract at the current time.

However, talks with the club are ongoing and he remains positive.

He said: "I’ve spoken to them (the club) and I think we’re going to talk about contracts a bit further down the line, but I think they’re going to look after me."

He will now meet with his surgeon, Andy Williams, in London to next week to perform the operation and begin his rehabilitation onwards in to 2018.