Alarm in Stuttgart: Zagadou potentially sidelined for the season
Germany's preeminent footballing publication is now confirming reports that VfB Stuttgart defender Dan-Axel Zagadou may be facing surgery after incurring a major knee injury in training today.
This is reported by reliable German footballing journalist George Moissidis, who claims that Stuttgart suspect an ACL tear.
Fresh off an impressive 5-2 win over top-four rivals RB Leipzig, VfB Stuttgart have now been hit with what appears to be some seriously bad injury news. Central defender Dan-Axel Zagadou - a starter in 16 of Stuttgart's 19 league fixtures this season - might be done for the year with a serious knee injury; possibly an ACL tear. Rumors about the injury began surfacing in multiple footballing forums late Wednesday.
This is reported by reliable German footballing journalist George Moissidis, who claims that Stuttgart suspect an ACL tear.
George Moissidis - VfB Stuttgart correspondent for Germany's Kicker Magazine now confirms the report. After battling multiple injuries (including previous problems with his knee) for years, the former PSG and Borussia Dortmund professional had finally appeared to be getting his career back on track. Zagadou's club must now make a quick decision on whether or not to try and scramble for a replacement on transfer deadline day.
Stuttgart's best hope of replacing Zagadou on a one-to-one basis, Hiroki Ito, remains out on AFC Asian Cup duty with the Japanese national team. Ito's Samurai just advanced to the quarterfinals of the continental championship today. The news almost certainly means that VfB trainer Sebastian Hoeneß will have to deploy a back-four - with Anthony Rouault and Leonidas Stergiou in central defense - against Freiburg this weekend.