Wolves left-back Stephen Ward looks set to undergo further knee surgery at the end of the season.

Ward has struggled to play full games after having an operation on a torn cartilage in September which kept him out until December.

Even after returning to the first team, the 25-year-old was receiving injections to get through games to reduce the swelling. Surgery on what was initially thought to be a routine cartilage tear proved more complicated, with the operation revealing it to be in an awkward position so it had to be stitched together rather than be removed before his comeback was further delayed because of a blood infection.

Looking “leggy”, Ward was finally withdrawn from the team during the game at Villa on March 20 and has been restricted to three injury-time substitute’s appearances since.

Asked whether he needed exploratory surgery, Ward said: “Yes, I need to get it right for next season.

“I probably need some sort of treatment as there’s still a little bit of swelling there.” Ward admitted he could not carry on any longer.

“Some games are harder than others and at that stage, the gaffer was right to take me off,” he said.

“I had probably pushed my knee as far as I could.

“I probably have to get something done in the summer as it needs to be right next season.”

Ward admits not playing has eased the discomfort in his knee, but he will probably not risk any first Ireland call-up, with a squad for a training camp being named on Monday.

“I’d probably have to speak to the physio if I got a call-up,” he said. “You realise the time when you need to get your knee right. I want to play all the time but I’m not 100 per cent.

“I’ve felt a lot better in training and that’s probably because there has not been so much pressure on my knee as I’ve only been playing 20 minutes.

“But if the gaffer needs me for another 20 minutes I just have to do that and be professional about it.

“I suppose early on in the season it was important for me to establish myself and play in the league and now it’s important to get myself right because hopefully the next couple of weekends we’ll have done enough to stay in the league and it’s important I’m right next year.”

Ward admits he never expected to play as often as he has this season because of the pain.

But he is determined to come back fully fit next season. “I had a big setback with the injury and I’ve played a lot more games than I would’ve been expected to because of my knee,” he said.

“I’ll get myself right now and come back fully fit for next season.

“Touch wood there will then be any further problems.”