West Ham midfielder Don Hutchison has flown to Canada for an operation to repair his torn cruciate ligament.

Scottish international Hutchison has been ruled out for eight to 10 months with the knee injury, which he suffered during the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Vancouver-based surgeon Brian Day will perform the operation and then Hammers physio John Green, who accompanied Hutchison to Canada, will oversee the rehabilitation programme.

Meanwhile the Hammers are negotiating a new contract with Jermain Defoe after the teenage striker made his 10th Premiership start for the club against Aston Villa last weekend.

The 19-year-old has a clause in his contract which guaranteed him a pay rise of �15,000 a week once he reached double figures in league starts.

The England Under-21 international is the club's leading scorer in all competitions this season, with 10 goals in 29 appearances for the first team.

West Ham will also have to pay more money to Charlton as part of the compensation package agreed after Defoe quit their academy to move to Upton Park three years ago.