Leading knee surgeon Andy Williams is confident that Dejan Stefanovic will play again for Norwich City. The 34-year-old defender is definitely out for the season and will undergo surgery next Thursday - but the early signs are that he will be able to return for pre-season training next year.

Leading knee surgeon Andy Williams is confident that Dejan Stefanovic will play again for Norwich City.

The 34-year-old defender is definitely out for the season and will undergo surgery next Thursday - but the early signs are that he will be able to return for pre-season training next year.

"The surgeon is very confident that he will make a successful return," said City boss Glenn Roeder.

"The scan revealed there is damage to the ligament. What you can't see is if the ligament has come away at all. If it has and that needs stitching back on the length of time he would be out would be longer than just the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) repair.

"The surgeon says if he was a gambling man he thinks it's just been damaged and won't need repairing and it will just heal alongside the cruciate ligament repair, so he will be out the rest of this season and should be back hopefully for pre-season training."

Stefanovic has a sympathetic ear in fellow central defender John Kennedy, who has suffered two serious knee injuries in his short career - one which kept him out for three years.

"I have spoken to him and he's all right," said Kennedy. "He's in good spirits given the situation he's in and obviously it's going to be a tough time for him. He knows what it's all about, he's been around the block and he's seen other people come back from these injuries so I think he will be fine and back ready for next season."