Daniel Arzani confirms ACL injury and need for knee reconstruction
SCOTLAND-based winger Martin Boyle is likely to be the immediate beneficiary of Daniel Arzani’s misfortune, after the 19-year-old winger confirmed he will need surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
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UPDATE: SCOTLAND-based winger Martin Boyle is likely to be the immediate beneficiary of Daniel Arzani’s misfortune, after the 19-year-old winger confirmed he will need surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
The devastating update from Arzani, seen as one of the brightest talents in Australian football, is at least partially offset by the news that Boyle’s clearance to play for Australia has come through from FIFA.
It means the teammate of Mark Milligan and Jamie Maclaren at Hibernian in Scotland will join them on a flight to Brisbane on Saturday, ahead of Australia’s friendlies with South Korea in Brisbane on November 17 and Lebanon at ANZ Stadium three days after.
Arzani will be missing from the squad coach Graham Arnold names on Thursday, after confirming what Celtic’s medical staff had feared from the moment he twisted awkwardly just 18 minutes into his debut for the club and was stretchered from the field.
Arzani visited world-renowned knee surgeon Ramon Cugat in Barcelona, who has operated on stars including Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus, as well as Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola in his playing days.
As a player contracted to City, Arzani will have his recovery overseen there, a process expected to take between nine and 12 months.
Promising to return “better than ever”, Arzani will nevertheless miss the Asian Cup in January, and possibly the start of World Cup qualifiers next year depending on the prognosis for his recovery.
“Thank you to everyone who has taken the time out of their day to show support and love, I’m trying my best to reply to everyone but please understand this is also a very tough time for me as I received the bad news today that I will indeed need an ACL Op ruling me out until next season,” Arzani posted on Instagram.
In a statement, Football Federation Australia said its “performance staff will continue to liaise with Celtic and Daniel regarding his injury and rehabilitation and provide support, advice, and expertise however required.”
The 19-year-old only made his professional debut in January, but had impressed with several cameos at the World Cup and was expected to play a leading role at the Asian Cup.
Boyle has a good chance of featuring against South Korea and Lebanon, having been brought into camp last month by Arnold to train with the squad while his clearance to play for Australia was processed.
The lightning-fast forward has never been to Australia, but qualifies through his Sydney-born father, and has thrown his lot in with the Socceroos.
Another absentee from Arnold’s squad is likely to be goalkeeper Brad Jones, who suffered bad concussion while playing for his Saudi club Al Nassr after being inadvertently kneed in the head by a teammate.
However first-choice keeper Mat Ryan will be called up on the back of winning the PFA fans’ player of the month award.