Aberdeen have been hit with a major blow ahead of the new season kick-off this weekend as Sam Cosgrove has been ruled out of action for the foreseeable future.

The striker suffered an injury in a friendly clash against Hibs last week and has been told by doctors he faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Manager Derek McInnes had hoped he would be available earlier but it is understood the diagnosis of the severity is worse than initially hoped.

Cosgrove hit 23 goals for the Dons last season and will be a huge miss. It comes as good news for Rangers, though, as the Ibrox outfit get set to square-off against Aberdeen at Pittodrie this weekend in the opening fixture of the new campaign.

Aberdeen will undoubtedly be further devastated as the injury comes just a few short weeks after the player turned down a £2.7million move to France with Guingamp in Ligue 2. It is believed Cosgrove feels he has unfinished business in the Granite City - though he will now have to bide his time in his return from a bitter injury blow.