Reading defender Ibrahima Sonko will miss the start of the Premiership, beginning August 11, while doubts prevail over the fitness of goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

The 26-year-old Senegal-born centre-back has had a operation on his right knee for ligament problem, but is shaping back strongly.

American Hahnemann, who had broken his right hand in the final encounter against Blackburn, remains doubtful with last month's surgery seeing 18 screws and two pins inserted into his hand.

The Royals physio Jon Fearn told the Reading Evening Post: "He (Sonko) has started running and has been doing light power work. He will hopefully start specific football work in August so he will definitely miss the start of the season.

"But in those weeks he will step it up. It will be interesting to see how he copes, but if the carrot could be playing at the end of August - that will be six months after he had the op in February and Michael Owen was out for 11 months with the same injury."

Fearn added: "Marcus won't be ready for pre-season training, but by the time the season starts he could be okay. His progress is slow because he had quite major surgery on his hand."