Kevin Doyle could miss the start of the season for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Premier League new-boys paid a record £6.5million to take the Republic of Ireland international striker from Reading earlier this summer.

Mick McCarthy was looking forward to teaming Doyle up with Sylvain Ebanks-Blake for the new season, but a hernia operation could mean the new-boy misses the big kick-off.

"Kevin has had an op but is recovering well and he will now get his rehab," McCarthy told the Birmingham Mail. “We will soon have him back on his feet."