Alex Pritchard needs ankle surgery which will keep him out of action for a further three months, Daniel Farke confirmed on Friday afternoon to the EDP
The 24 year old midfield star was injured in the pre-season match at Cambridge in July but will now miss a minimum of 12 weeks, Farke confirmed at his pre-Sunderland presser at Colney.
It seems likely that if he misses three months, he will then need at least a month or so to get back to a suitable level of fitness, something that Farke is all too aware of and he`s not expecting his playmaker to be ready until early 2018.
“It is bad news. A minimum of 12 weeks,” said Farke, with Pritchard set to have surgery next week. “That is when everything works in a perfect way then perhaps the end of November. I guess. So, that means all in all we have to do without him for more than four months. Then when he returns he will need some time back in training. To be honest I don`t count on him until the beginning of the new year.’
On the plus side, if there can actually be a plus side to this, James Maddison, Wes Hoolahan, Marley Watkins and Steven Naismith can all play in Pritchard`s position with Watkins starting there against Fulham. At least it`s an area of the field that we have decent cover in although Pritchard is a big player for Norwich City and he will naturally be missed.
Get well soon Alex.
OTBC