Ronnie O’Sullivan says he could face an injury layoff during this season so he can have and recover from a foot operation.

The five-times world champion said surgery on his heel is needed and could happen after the Masters in January.

O’Sullivan has revealed the news as he sets his sights on defending the UK Championship title he won twelve months ago.

The UK Championship begins next week and will see the Rocket face amateur Luke Simmonds in the opening round.

“I’ve convinced myself I’m going to have the operation – so it’ll mean three or four weeks in a boot ‘til it heals properly,” O’Sullivan said.

“I might just wait ‘til after the World Championships or after the Masters – I don’t know. I do know it’s something worth getting done.”

Should O’Sullivan decide to have the operation after the Masters then it will mean he will likely miss the German Masters, the World Grand Prix and the Welsh Open.

As well as trying to win what will be a record SEVENTH UK Championship title, O’Sullivan will be very much part of Eurosport’s live coverage at York’s Barbican Theatre.

O’Sullivan, winner of this season’s Shanghai Masters and Champion of Champions, is currently enjoying being a snooker ambassador for the sports channel which shows a wide range of snooker tournaments across the season.

Being part of the team is a dream job says O’Sullivan but finding the balancing act between playing and being a pundit can be a tough one to play out.

“I love doing it,” he added.

“I love sitting there with Jimmy White and Neil Foulds. I love the crew at Eurosport – there’s no pressure. And I get to talk about a subject that I’m quite knowledgeable on.

“It’s a dream job, really. But then I’ve got my other head on, thinking that I
want to be competing and doing the best at snooker, so… I don’t know.”

O’Sullivan was speaking to Betway – the official tournament sponsor of the 2018 UK Championship.