The defender is still a few weeks away from making a return to full training for MK Dons

It will be almost a full year out of action before Kane Wilson can get back on the pitch again for MK Dons.

The 26-year-old played just once for the club last season after his move from Derby County, but a knee injury and several surgeries have meant the right-back has not kicked another ball for the club in anger.

The side returned to pre-season training earlier this week, but Wilson remains on the sidelines, according to head coach Paul Warne, for around another six weeks, meaning he likely will not be ready until September to make a mark on the first-team.

Warne said: “He’s in great physical shape, he looks amazing. But he will probably be four or five weeks from joining the squad so he won’t be available for selection for the start of the season.

“He’s started straight-line running. It took a long time for his knee to settle - physios call it drying - so it doesn’t swell up. He’s been doing all the work, he’s been in anti-gravity treadmills and all that sort of thing.

“He’s had virtually a season out, so he will be rusty. We’ll arrange games for him to get up to speed. We’ve had to be patient with him, he’s had a lot of surgeries and the physios have been great.

“When we get him back, people can enjoy watching him play.”

The rest of the squad though, including Jay Matete and Will Collar who also missed the end of last season through injury, have returned in good shape ahead of the pre-season campaign.

“They’re all in pretty good nick, but obviously they need to be better,” Warne continued. “We’ve had the balls out in the scorching heat, and we have a game on Friday after a hard week, so it could be walking football for our lads.

“But it will be good to get out and play before the harder work starts next week.”