McLean was back in the Well first-team last season

Motherwell defender Brian McLean faces a long spell out of football after it was confirmed that he has suffered cruciate ligament damage to his knee.

The 23-year-old picked up the injury in Thursday's 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat by Romanian outfit CFR Cluj.

Motherwell say it is unclear how long he will be missing, but such injuries can take as long as a season to heal.

"The defender has partially ruptured his cruciate ligament and torn his medial ligament," said Well's website.

"He also has a small fracture on the outside of his knee."

McLean, who joined Well from Rangers, missed five months of the 2006-7 season with medial ligament damage, which followed an earlier ankle problem..

Whatever happens, I am sure he is going to miss some time of the season from this Motherwell manager Mark McGhee

He struggled to get back into the team last season until an injury to Paul Quinn gave him his chance.

And, after a scan indicated the extent of the latest injury, manager Mark McGhee said: "It is terrible luck for the guy.

"Whatever happens, I am sure he is going to miss some time of the season from this.

"He has been working hard to try and get himself into the frame, which he did at the end of last season when he got back into our eyeline and he was very much in contention, so it's a shame."

McGhee had been left angry by the challenge on McLean by striker Diego Ruiz.

"I wasn't particularly happy with the tone of the game in general, even down to the vibe that was coming from their bench," he told his club website.

"They were saying 'that is football', but that is not football. Injuries happen in football, sure, but not like that.

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"I don't know if there was intent, only the player himself would know that. He definitely went in to protect himself, that is for sure.

"His attitude to it all was a little disappointing, but that same attitude pervaded from the bench.

"There was a little bit of arrogance about them that really wasn't very nice and I didn't enjoy it. There was no apology either, which again was disappointing."

McLean's injury is likely to increase McGhee's efforts to sign John Kennedy, who has been training with Motherwell, on loan from Celtic, although Norwich City are also reportedly interested.

Meanwhile, Motherwell gave three trialists a chance to impress against the Romanians in Abtenau, Austria.

Celtic winger Jim O'Brien, Millwall goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley, Spaniard Angel Robles and German Mark Le Rande are hoping to win contracts with the Scottish Premier League club.