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Cardiff City have been delivered a shock injury set-back with Kadeem Harris breaking down on his first day back at full training.

And the winger looks set to remain sidelined for a further month with a fresh concern having already missed all of the Bluebirds’ storming start to the season.

The blow came after Harris inched closer to a return from the ankle surgery he underwent at the end of pre-season.

It is not thought the problem is from the original injury but a hairline fracture of the ankle suffered as he stepped up his recovery and attempted to force his way back into Neil Warnock’s side.

Harris, 24, impressed in a breakthrough season at Cardiff City Stadium last term, signing a new deal at the end of last season.

But he was laid low with an ankle problem in August, requiring to go under the knife and sit out the first two months of the campaign.

The flier returned to full training but suffered a new problem, with scans revealing the fracture and with Bluebirds medical staff predicting a four to five week lay-off.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Harris made 22 appearances last year – his most in one season since signing from Wycombe in 2013 – scoring four goals and providing the same number of assists.

And Bluebirds boss Warnock had hoped the wideman’s return would be akin to the boost of a new signing as he looks to continue the form that has placed Cardiff among the promotion contenders after the first 12 games of the season.

But Cardiff are considering the fact it is not a recurrence of the original injury as a big plus with the surgery having held up.

It should allow Harris to aim for a return around the time of the November international break.

Cardiff have also lost the services of full-back Jazz Richards who has undergone a similar procedure to Harris after damaging his ankle in the win against Sunderland at the end of last month.

But both Callum Patterson and Lee Camp are close to first-team involvement having been recovering from knee operations since the summer and their arrival in South Wales from Hearts and Rotherham respectively.

Warnock is also hopeful that the ankle injury suffered by midfielder Aaron Gunnarsson is not as bad as first feared and he can be back in time for Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough.

Gunnarsson, a second-half replacement himself, left the pitch during Cardiff’s 1-0 defeat to Birmingham on Friday having jarred his ankle.

With Cardiff having used all three substitutes it forced the Bluebirds to finish with 10 men, but initial assessments have suggested the problem can be calmed enough for the Iceland international to be back available for the weekend trip to Teesside.

Cardiff will take on Boro with Garry Monk’s men without a win in four, seeing the pre-season promotion favourites slide into midtable.

Wolves took top spot in the division following the Bluebirds’ defeat to Birmingham, the Molineux side leapfrogging Warnock’s men after a 2-0 win over Aston Villa. Cardiff are currently in second, ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference after the Blades beat Ipswich 1-0.

Bristol City, who Cardiff face at Ashton Gate on November 4 in the first Severnside derby of the season, are in fourth.