Dundee United striker Francisco Sandaza's groin operation has been put back to next week after the Spaniard contracted food poisoning.
The 24-year-old former Valencia B player was due to go under the knife in Bradford on Thursday but fell ill overnight and was unable to travel. He has now been booked in for a new appointment on Monday and faces six weeks of rehabilitation.
Manager Craig Levein revealed: "Fran is having his operation on Monday now. It was supposed to be this week but he's contracted a bit of food poisoning so it's been put back."
He added: "He'll be out for six weeks after it but the good thing now is that we know exactly what the problem is.
"He's been really down about being injured but he'll get the operation next week and then will be able to look forward.
"Obviously, having him out for longer than we thought is a blow but it's the lesser of two evils because we were worried it might be three months."
