Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross has been ruled out for two months as he is set to undergo back surgery.

Shawcross has been struggling with a back injury which he picked up during the second half of last season and after seeking specialist advice, the defender is now set to go under the knife which is likely to keep him out until at least October.

Confirming the blow, Stoke released the following statement on their official website: "Stoke City can confirm that club captain Ryan Shawcross is to undergo a back operation. Shawcross is to have the surgery next week and will be unavailable for first team selection for at least two months.

"The central defender has suffered a recurrence of a back problem that troubled him last season. The Club had hoped surgery would not be necessary and that the summer break would provide a solution.

"That initially appeared to be the case but the harder Shawcross pushed himself in pre-season the more discomfort he found himself in, leaving no alternative but for him to undergo the operation."