Wrexham suffer Ward blow as Wales goalkeeper faces surgery

Wrexham will be without goalkeeper Danny Ward for a number of weeks after it was confirmed the Wales international faces surgery for a dislocated elbow.

Ward suffered the injury during Wrexham's Championship win over Millwall last weekend.

The 32-year-old fell awkwardly while trying to claim a cross, receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch having also been knocked unconscious.

It immediately ruled him out of Wales' World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan in Astana on Thursday.

But he will now be missing when Wrexham return to league action after the international break, having also damaged elbow ligaments in the incident.

Manager Phil Parkinson had said he had "feared the worst" after the game at the New Den, but has now accepted the summer signing will be out for a "significant period".

"I think the specialist has said we won't know until he has actually done the operation and put a timescale on that, but obviously it is a serious injury and our thoughts are with Danny," Parkinson said.

Ward was Wrexham's first signing of a record-breaking summer transfer window, returning to his hometown club on a free after a seven-year spell at Leicester City.

The former Liverpool stopper had started all of Wrexham's Championship games before the injury. Arthur Okonkwo replaced Ward at Millwall, with the double promotion winner now in line to take the number one spot when Wrexham welcome Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, 13 September.

Former Cambridge United and Plymouth Argyle keeper Callum Burton is Parkinson's other senior goalkeeping option.