CRAIG Beattie has been rocked by news that he faces up to six weeks out with a calf injury.

The Scotland international frontman saw his first Swansea City season ruined by a succession of fitness troubles — and his second campaign has begun with more bad fortune.

Beattie is on crutches after limping out of Swansea's opening training session on Dutch soil last Monday.

And while Swansea are still awaiting a scan to show exactly what damage has been done, boss Brendan Rodgers fears the worst.

"If it's just a cramp in the calf then it might be something that clears in a couple of days, but I think he has pulled it," he said.

"If that's the case, we are looking at Craig being out for five to six weeks."

The news is a hammer blow to Beattie, who spoke earlier this month about his desire to prove himself at Swansea this season after a difficult debut campaign at the Liberty.

Signed for a fee of £500,000 rising to £800,000 last August, he managed 23 appearances — 12 of which were starts — for Swansea in 2009-10 and scored only three goals. Beattie's progress was badly hampered by a lack of fitness, with a virus, a broken toe, a knee sprain and a back spasm all striking him last term.

His latest setback leaves Stephen Dobbie as the hot favourite to spearhead Rodgers's frontline when the new Championship campaign begins at Hull City a week tomorrow.

Shefki Kuqi and Gorka Pintado are Swansea's other options at present, although Rodgers is believed to be chasing a new centre-forward in the transfer market.

Swansea hope to have better news of Joe Allen soon, with the midfielder due to see a specialist next week following surgery on a long-standing shoulder problem.

"Joe cannot do any full contact, but he has trained very well and hopefully he will get the all-clear next Thursday," Rodgers said.

Tom Butler, meantime, is likely to miss the first couple of weeks of the season after aggravating a thigh injury.

"We knew Tom wouldn't be able to play on this tour, but we wanted him to come as he is a senior member of the squad and the trip is partly about the players bonding," Rodgers added.