Nottinghamshire batsman Jake Libby will miss at least three months of the 2015 campaign as he continues to recover from the cruciate knee ligament injury that curtailed his winter in Australia.
The 21-year-old opener burst on to the scene with a century in the final game of 2014 before a successful stint in Club cricket down under.
"We've got the chance to look for another overseas player." Mick Newell
Director of Cricket Mick Newell says that Libby should take comfort from the security of the two-year contract he signed in September as he looks to build on his remarkable LV= County Championship debut at the end of last season.
"It's tough on Jake as it's a serious injury but if it's any comfort, he's got a two-year contract,” said Newell.
"Hopefully we can use the first year of his contract to see him fully fit and playing by the second half of the season. Then he has the second year to show us what he can do."
Newell told the Nottingham Post he is keeping his options open when it comes to recruiting one more batter with Libby injured, Alex Hales keen to play in the IPL and James Taylor pressing hard to become an England regular.
"We might get more injuries so we are trying to keep our options open," he said.
"We've got the chance to look for another overseas player for T20. We've got to see what happens with Alex and the IPL and James Taylor with England."
Fast bowler Andy Carter is recovering well from the back injury that kept him out for much of last season and has resumed net bowling with a view to starting the season in firm contention for a place in the side.