Injured Portsmouth defender Ibane Bowat has knee surgey as fomer Fulham centre-back delivers message from his hospital bed

The £500,000 transfer deadline day signing from Fulham suffered a devastating knee injury in training last week as he prepared to make his Blues bow against West Brom.

The 22-year-old ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee as he took a shot on goal, with no-one challenging him at the time.

Pompey boss John Mousinho called it a ‘freak’ injury when speaking to The News on Sunday - when the true magnitude of the problem was revealed.

Now Bowat has spoken for the first time since suffering the injury, with a message to well-wishers after undergoing surgery on his knee.

He said the procedure went well, with his focus now on getting back stronger than ever.

Writing on Instagram, the Scotland Under-21 international wrote: ‘Surgery done, all went well and ready to get rehab started asap. I’ll be back stronger.’

Bowat’s injury is the latest blow Pompey have suffered when it comes to their centre-backs. Last November, Regan Poole damaged his ACL against Chesterfield - a cruel setback that kept him sidelined until Sunday, when he made his comeback against West Brom as a second-half substitute.

Sunday’s Championship fixture also saw Tom McIntyre make only his second appearance for the Blues, with the defender fracturing his ankle on his debut against Northampton last February.

Meanwhile, sitting out the Baggies game was Conor Shaughnessy, with the centre-back unable to feature for Pompey since picking up a calf injury ahead of the Middlesbrough game on August 24.