MORTON have been dealt a massive injury blow ahead of tomorrow night’s match against Hibs with the news defender Luca Gasparotto could be out for up to 10 weeks.

The Canadian centre-half was set to come back into the Ton squad on Tuesday night after sitting out the 2-0 defeat to parent club Rangers last week as per his loan agreement.

But Gasparotto suffered an ankle injury at training on Friday and says he could be looking at around two months on the sidelines.

Speaking exclusively to the Tele last night, the 20-year-old said: “I was unlucky I guess.

“I got tackled in a game at training on Friday and have done some ligament damage to my right ankle. 

“It’s a sprain.

“I went to hospital on Friday night just to make sure there weren’t any broken bones, and there weren’t thankfully.

“But they had another look at me today [Sunday], and I have tendon that links my tibia to my fibula and it’s supposed to be tight and strong but right now it’s a bit separated.

“I can’t put any weight on my leg — I’m keeping my leg and foot immobile, keeping it elevated and icing it — and have been put in a walking boot to make sure it sets.

“The past couple of nights I’ve barely slept. 

“I think on Friday night I got two hours and last night I got three at best.

“I’ve had injuries to my hip and my wrist in the past, but I’ve never really had a bad ankle injury before.

“The physio says it could be between eight to 10 weeks, but I think that is an ‘at worst’ [prognosis] probably. So I could be a few months but hopefully not.

“I spoke to the gaffer [Jim Duffy] today and will be going in to see the physio again tomorrow and talk about it.”

The young defender was maintaining a positive frame of mind despite the setback and has his sights on playing a part in the closing month or so of the Ton’s Championship campaign.

He added: “Obviously I’m gutted. It’s terrible timing to pick up an injury, especially with the run of games we have coming up.

“But these things happen in football. I can’t do anything about it, I can’t change it now — I’ve just got to keep my head up and work hard to get back fit. 

“That’s what I’m looking forward to.

“I’ll still be on loan at Morton until the end of the season and going to the games — and hopefully I can get back playing for the last month and a bit.”