The 21-year-old has gone under the knife for a clean-up operation. However, the procedure was not a major one and it is believed it has only put the popular former Villa man's return to action back by three or four weeks.

It's thought the operation took place earlier this month.

In the summer Graham pinpointed tomorrow's West Midlands derby against his old club as a tentative target date for his return. Head of medical Phil Hayward said at the time that he believed Graham's target was an ambitious one.

It's believed the man who so impressed during an 11-game run in the team last winter won't return to first-team action at Molineux this side of Christmas.

He suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury during Wolves' 3-1 home defeat to Cardiff in January.

Graham's loss was keenly felt during the final months of 2015/16.

As a mark of the impact he made in a such a short space of time, Graham was fourth in the voting for the fans' player of the season award at the end of the campaign.

However, there is some positive news on the injury front for Wolves in that midfielder Lee Evans is back in training – and could be in line for some game time tonight for the under-23s.

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Wolves face Newcastle United at Molineux (kick off 7pm) and Evans was under consideration for a place in the squad, which was set to be announced this morning.

Evans started the first four Championship games of the season, playing 90 minutes in the first three against Rotherham, Reading and Ipswich, before hobbling off early during the 3-1 derby win at Blues in late August with an unspecified problem.

Walter Zenga had been impressed with the 22-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Bradford City.