Grant Leadbitter is set to miss the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season after undergoing surgery earlier this year.





The Boro skipper had an operation to correct an injury he had been carrying for the last two months of the season and further investigation has shown that the injury is worse than first anticipated.





Dani Ayala joins Leadbitter on the sidelines while he recovers from an ankle injury sustained in the first few days of pre-season and the central defender will sit out of Saturday's trip to Doncaster Rovers.





James Husband also joins the injury list and is facing a lengthy spell out of action with the left-back awaiting an operation to repair a dislocated shoulder.





Husband fell awkwardly at York City last Saturday and had to be replaced by George Friend. The defender could be out for up to three months.











