Injured Wolves winger Said to miss start of season

Rafiki Said signed a three-year contract with Wolves from Standard Liege for an undisclosed fee [Getty Images] Wolverhampton Wanderers' summer signing Rafiki Said is set to miss the start of the new season after suffering a knee injury in pre-season. Former Standard Liege winger Said, 26, suffered a "high-grade" injury to his medial collateral ligament during Wolves' friendly at Maidenhead United on 22 July. "Unfortunately, Rafiki had an injury whilst taking a shot," Wolves director of performance Phil Hayward told the club website. "The shot was blocked, placing a big strain on the inside of his knee and, as a result, he sustained a high-grade injury to his medial collateral ligament." Hayward added that Said will be in a knee brace "for the next six weeks or so" and then have injections "to accelerate the healing process" but will miss "the first part of the season for sure". The Comoros international was new boss Cesar Peixoto's first signing in preparation for the club's return to the Championship this season. Wolves also confirmed French-born Haiti midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will be out for "a number of weeks" with a hamstring injury. Bellegarde, signed from Strasbourg for £12.8m nearly three years ago, pulled up in training and scans have revealed a "fairly high-grade injury" to his left hamstring. He had recently returned to the West Midlands after being away with Haiti at the World Cup. Latest Wolves news, analysis and fan views Ask about Wolves - what do you want to know?