Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne has been ruled out for six months after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, all but killing any chances of him leaving the club this summer, according to the Telegraph.
The 28-year-old has flown home from the Reds’ preseason tour of the USA, after picking up the complaint in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund.
It is understood that Crystal Palace were keen to re-sign the full-back, but the chances of that deal happening now are virtually non-existent.
The report suggests that while most injuries of this type have a nine month recovery time, Clyne is expected to return sooner.
OPINION
This is a double blow for Liverpool. On the one hand, this kind of ligament in jury is always a difficult thing to take, and it can have serious implications for a player going forward. Thankfully, it sounds as if Clyne might have had a relatively lucky escape in that respect, and could be available again some time in the new year. On the other hand, it seemed almost certain that he would be leaving Anfield this summer, and now that that deal is essentially off the cards, it means that Liverpool are stuck paying the wages of a player they have already deemed surplus to requirements. That won’t be at the forefront of anybody’s mind right now, but from a personal point of view, Clyne, who impressed during a loan spell with Bournemouth last term – wracking up an average of 2.4 tackles and 1.9 clearances per match [Whoscored] – will feel as if he has missed an opportunity to ensure regular first team football for years to come. Such a massive disappointment for everybody involved.
