Aberdeen midfielder Fraser Fyvie is out for six weeks with an ankle ligament injury and defender Charlie Mulgrew has turned down the contract extension offer which would have made him one of the best-paid players at the club.
Dons manager Mark McGhee is relieved Fyvie has not broken a bone, but is still seething at Hibs defender Ian Murray’s challenge which led to the 16-year-old being stretchered from the field in only his seventh first-team match.
McGhee said: “Fraser has had the X-ray and it appears to be ligament damage rather than any bone break. We are looking at six weeks out.
“Injuries happen and that is a disappointment for him. But for us the real problem is that we have been delighted with the impact young players such as Fraser, Michael Paton and Peter Pawlett have made and we are facing the prospect of having at least two of them out of the team.
“Ian Murray was entitled to win the ball in the challenge which injured Fraser and a more experienced player than Fraser would have jumped six feet in the air when he saw it coming.
“But Fraser showed his inexperience. A lot of players would have protected themselves.
“As for Ian Murray, I think you have to question him. He knew he could win the ball and there would be a danger he could injure the player.
“We hear the PFA all the time talking about the Respect campaign. I am not quite sure there was the need to hurt Fraser and also win the ball.”
McGhee’s problems have been compounded by Mulgrew’s decision to reject Aberdeen’s offer of a long-term contract extension.
The former Celtic defender was given a take-it-or-leave-it offer by director of football Willie Miller.
Free to talk to other clubs on January 1, Mulgrew has opted to leave it and McGhee said: “Charlie has been made an outstanding offer and he has turned it down. I still have to speak to him to find out why that is the case and what his thinking is.”
Mulgrew’s agent Kevin Drinkell said: “Charlie just wants to concentrate on playing his football at the moment.
“He feels he has settled down as a player and is enjoying what he is doing for the first time in several years.
“He knows if he works hard in training he will play every week and that's all he wants to do. He's not thinking about anything else at this stage.”
Dons supporters face the prospect of again losing one of their best players to free agency in the summer, following in the footsteps of former captain Scott Severin, midfielder Barry Nicholson and defender Kevin McNaughton, all of whom moved to the English Championship after rejecting the chance to stay in Aberdeen.
McGhee is also preparing for life without two-thirds of the trio of young players who have strode into the Pittodrie first team with such flair.
Fyvie could be joined on the sidelines for Saturday’s match against St Johnstone by Pawlett, who is still struggling with a back injury.
Injuries may mean another of his young talents, Michael Paton, is brought back into a squad increasingly threadbare given the suspensions for defender Maurice Ross and forward Maguire following their red cards in the 2-0 defeat at Hibs on Saturday.
McGhee added: “It is not back to square one in terms of the injured players at the club, but it is not great.
“Pawlett is suffering with his back injury and it needs time to settle down.
“We have to decide whether to play him against St Johnstone on Saturday. If Chris Maguire was available we would be able to play him but that is not going to happen because of his suspension.
“Sone Aluko was not well on Friday.
“He probably would have played on Saturday, but he is back in training.”