Stoke City transfer target Sam Cosgrove is set to be sidelined until December at the earliest, with the Stoke Sentinel reporting that the Aberdeen striker has been ruled out for up to four months following a knee injury he sustained against Hibernian in a pre-season friendly. 

The towering frontman has long been linked with a move to the Bet365 Stadium, with the player's exploits this season having attracted many an admirer over the last few months.

A former Wigan Athletic player, Cosgrove had looked to have been set for a move to Guingamp in France, with the French side agreeing a fee with the Dons, however the striker was quick to turn down the move in order to continue his development with the Scottish Premiership outfit instead.

Cosgrove currently has two years remaining on his current contract at the Pittodrie Stadium and has scored 44 goals in 87 games for the Scottish club to date.

Quiz: Have each of these 15 Stoke City players scored a league goal this season?

The Verdict 

This will certainly be seen as a slight blow for the Potters, as the club have been tracking the progress of Cosgrove for most of the season just gone as they seek to strengthen their ranks at the top end of the field.

The 23-year-old certainly fits into the style of football that Michael O'Neill is seeking his side to play and would have been a positive addition had he made the move to the Championship club this summer.

However it now appears likely that the club will switch their attentions to other targets of a similar ilk as they seek to reduce the goalscoring burden that has been placed on the shoulders of striking duo Tyrese Campbell and Sam Vokes next term.