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Derby County loanee Elliot Embleton has been ruled out "for months" with a torn thigh muscle and has returned to parent club Sunderland to recover.

The 24-year-old midfielder was hurt in training after making just two appearances for the Rams, having been out since December 2022 with an ankle injury that required two operations.

Warne said Embleton may now need surgery on his latest injury.

"For this to happen has ripped his world apart," Warne said.

"He came down to the training ground to say goodbye to everyone because he will obviously have his rehab up in Sunderland. And he was just broken after he had worked so hard to get back fit.

"He had been doing rehab for months.

"Sunderland did a brilliant job, we had built his minutes up, controlled everything, and it is a severe injury from just taking a corner, which is heartbreaking for him.

"He had looked great in training and had said to me that he felt like he was back to his best."

Embleton made his first start for Derby in their Papa Johns Trophy win against Lincoln City just days before the injury.

The midfielder had only moved to Pride Park two weeks earlier.

Warne said no exact time frame could be put on the midfielder's recovery, saying he could be out for anything between "three and six months".

"It's really severe and we knew at the time because he broke down in tears, he was in pain," Warne told ����ý Radio Derby.

"He has big tear in his quad that looks like he is going to have surgical repair on it."