By Andrew Dickson

RANGERS have confirmed Kirk Broadfoot will be sidelined for the next six months after he had surgery on his left foot last week.

The Light Blues defender was seen by a top specialist in London and the operation revealed he had a rare problem which could have led to arthritis.

Broadfoot is now on the mend and will spend the next six weeks in a cast before starting his rehabilitation three months from now.

Then it will then be another three months before the player can expect to be pushing for a first-team place again.

It is understood the problem developed because of a stress fracture Broadfoot suffered previously that didn't heal properly.

As a consequence, the 24-year-old will miss both the end of this season and the start of next one, including the opening rounds of Gers' new European campaign.

"It's a real blow," Broadfoot told the Daily Express. "It was bad enough missing the climax to the title race but now I will be out for the start of next season.

"I'm absolutely gutted as I thought it was just bone bruising but they say these things make you stronger.

"When the specialist opened up my foot the bones were rubbing together and if it hadn't been picked up I could have ended up with arthritis.

"The specialist also said my bones were bruising because they weren't strong enough to take my body weight.

"Because of that, he had to shave away a bit of bone and put three screws in to strengthen it."