Saddlers await news on Sam Mantom's injury

The 22-year-old had the procedure on Saturday as doctors attempt to discover the cause of the problem which has blighted his season.

Mantom, last year's player of the season, has been limited to just four substitute appearances after suffering the injury to his right knee during the summer.

At the time he was expected to be out for just a few weeks but now seven months down the line, manager Dean Smith has given some insight into the extent of his own concerns.

"Sam went in on Saturday to have a scope put in but I don't know how it has gone," said the Saddlers boss.

"With something like that it's just literally to go in and see what is wrong – there is obviously something wrong. It was always a last resort to open him up but it is turning into a conundrum where it has been seven months and you start worrying about career threatening things now. I'm sure it won't be and will be sorted out by the surgeon."

Mantom has suffered several setbacks in a saga which on several occasions looked to be coming to a conclusion, only to take another twist.

The Saddlers were hopeful the problem was cured when the former Albion youth-teamer made his first appearance of the campaign as a late substitute at Crawley in late October while last month, he was injected with a growth hormone. But on each occasion the pain in his knee has returned. Mantom posted a picture of his leg in a brace on the social media site Instagram yesterday with the caption "2 weeks of torture again".

His continued absence makes extending the loan stay of Leicester City's Michael Cain until the end of the season even more important.

Cain has done well in Mantom's usual position alongside Adam Chambers and Smith is hopeful a deal with the Foxes can be agreed this week.

"We are in advanced negotiations with Leicester and the biggest thing at the moment for Michael is sorting his future out with Leicester," he said. "I think once that is sorted he will be our player again."