Steven Pressley says Carlisle United will “look after” Arthur Gnahoua after revealing the injured winger might not play again this season.

The new signing is recovering from a hamstring injury that looks set to keep him on the sidelines for an extended period.

Pressley admits it is a “major blow” for a player whose United campaign may now be restricted to his 28-minute cameo on his debut at Port Vale on January 26.

The ex-Shrewsbury man suffered the injury that day and Pressley said: “Arthur’s going to be [out] for quite a long period of time and that’s a real blow for him.

“As a player coming in, you want to make a very positive start but he’s going to be out for some time, and when you’re out for that time, and then the rehab, it’s a long period out he faces.

“I’m really disappointed for the boy.”

The club have confirmed that the winger had surgery on the injury yesterday.

Asked if Gnahoua could figure again before the end of the season, Pressley said: “Even that’s a doubt at this moment in time. It’s a real major blow for the player.”

The 26-year-old last month joined United on a deal to the end of the season.

He was intended to be a big part of their promotion push over the final stages of the campaign.

Pressley said that, whatever the future now holds for the player, Carlisle will give him the best possible treatment.

“We will look after him the best we can,” the Blues manager said. “He’ll be well looked after.

“Dolly [Neil Dalton], the physio, is a first-class physio and will make sure he gets the right rehabilitation.

“We’ll make sure that, regardless of what happens this summer, he’ll be in a position either to come in and prove his worth here, or in a position where he can go into another club in very good condition.”

Pressley, meanwhile, said defender Macaulay Gillesphey’s knee operation last week had proved a success.

He said: “We’re looking at possibly six weeks, but the procedure went really well. Macca seems in good spirits, he’s really happy with that. That’s good news.”