HULL City boss Steve Bruce has assured Paul McShane that his season-ending injury will not damage his prospects of winning a new deal at the KC Stadium.
McShane's excellent campaign was curtailed this week when the injury suffered in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest was confirmed to be ankle ligament damage.
Although the 27-year-old is due to visit a specialist today to discover if surgery is required, an absence of between six and eight weeks is already guaranteed to rule him out of the Tigers' run-in.
Now in the final months of his City contract, McShane will see his future settled by talks at the end of the season, but Bruce said: "Nothing changes.
"The injury doesn't have any bearing on Paul's future at all.
"With the way injuries are treated in the modern game, we're confident it won't be a long-term problem.
"I've said all along I'd sit down with Paul once we know where we'll be next year.
"He understands that situation and we'll sit down and talk at the end of the season."
McShane was dealt a cruel hand this week when arguably his finest season in a City shirt was ended prematurely by injury.
A 21st start of the campaign lasted just 28 minutes against Forest last weekend when an awkward fall damaged ankle ligaments.
"It's a huge shame for Paul and a huge shame for us too," said a sympathetic Bruce.
"That's another injury blow to add to the list. That's Matty Fryatt, Joe Dudgeon, Sone Aluko and now Paul who have been ruled out with long-term injuries so we've not had it easy.
"He'll see a specialist to see if he needs surgery but even the best case scenario will see us looking at six to eight weeks.
"That's cruel because Paul's done fantastically well for us. He's reinvented himself this season and, in the process, become a big fans' favourite.
"There's nothing worse than when you've played all season to set yourself up and then you miss out through injury. Knowing Paul the way I do he will get on with it."
The international break has afforded Bruce the opportunity to assess his options before facing Huddersfield Town next weekend, the first of eight remaining league games for promotion-chasing City.
Either Abdoulaye Faye or Alex Bruce are expected to slot into a three-man defence, but the nod may go to Faye with Bruce deployed in midfield.
"Fortunately we're okay in the area. We've got an ideal replacement in Abdoulaye Faye, then there's Alex that's played a lot there too," he added. "Abdoulaye has not played since Millwall but he's fit and raring to go.
"That's what your squad is there for. The full strength of ours has been needed to cover the long-term injuries we've had."
ALEX Bruce is part of the Northern Ireland side plotting Russia's downfall in Belfast tonight, while George Boyd will hope for a Scotland debut against Wales.
Gedo, Ahmed Elmohamady and Ahmed Fathi will also be part of Egypt's friendly with Swaziland.
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