Sheffield United will be without Tommy Doyle for the start of the season after the midfielder picked up a thigh injury.

The Blades won the battle to land the Manchester City midfielder earlier this summer, with the England youth international moving to Bramall Lane for the upcoming season.

However, Paul Heckingbottom is going to have to do without Doyle for the start of the campaign, as he told the Sheffield Star that the new recruit is suffering with a thigh problem that is likely to keep him out for a 'couple of weeks' at least.

"He’s as disappointed as we are, because he was enjoying himself training in Portugal. He was loving it. He’s not working with us and his teammates and missing out on minutes, so it’s tough.

"It's horrible being injured. He'll certainly be working hard in the gym and when he comes back on the grass, we've got enough games where we're going to need him. So the sooner we get him back, the better."

The Yorkshire side begin their season against Watford on August 1.

The verdict

This is a real shame for Doyle as he would've wanted to make an instant impact and nail down his place in the XI for when the serious stuff starts.

Obviously, this isn't a major problem, so he will be back soon but it's still a blow for the Blades and the player.

Thankfully for Heckingbottom, he has a good squad to work with so they will be able to cope with this injury and all Doyle can do is work on his recovery.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.