Football: Abdul Fatawu to miss remainder of season with ACL injury

Leicester: Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while playing for Ghana during the international break, the Premier League club’s manager Steve Cooper said here on Thursday.

Fatawu sustained a significant injury during Ghana's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Angola on Friday. The 20-year-old, who had played in all 11 of Leicester City's league games this season, suffered an ACL injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. "It's a serious injury. For a young player to experience an injury as severe as an ACL is a real blow, both for him and for us," Cooper said ahead of Saturday's home match against Chelsea.

Fatawu's loan from Sporting was made permanent after an impressive campaign last season, where he scored six goals in 40 games to help Leicester secure promotion from the Championship. However, he now joins a growing list of players in European football sidelined by ACL injuries, including Manchester City's Rodri, Real Madrid's Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal, Galatasaray's Mauro Icardi, and Juventus' Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal. "While ACL injuries are unfortunately common in football, they remain serious. For it to happen to someone so young is particularly tough," Cooper added.

Meanwhile, Leicester forward Jordan Ayew, who was also injured during the same game for Ghana, appears to have a less severe issue. "It’s not as serious as initially reported in Ghana," Cooper clarified. "We’re hopeful he could be available for the weekend, though it's still uncertain at this stage."

Leicester currently sit 15th in the Premier League standings with 10 points, while Chelsea is third with 19 points.