Leicester City’s Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following surgery on a groin injury. The injury, which has been managed over the past few months, will now see Hermansen miss the final four matches of the campaign. Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy confirmed that Jakub Stolarczyk will take over goalkeeping duties for the upcoming fixtures, including this weekend’s clash against Southampton.
Ruud van Nistelrooy said: “Mads Hermansen had an operation, so Jakub will be in for the rest of the season, the remaining games. It’s something that had to be solved to get him up and running for pre-season, so it was better to do it now so that he’s ready, rather than delaying it. The problem he had when he missed the games and Jakub filled in very well in December and January, it’s still that issue. It’s been taken care of so that he can work on recovery and be fit for the pre-season. He had the big spell where we had to prepare him, without an operation, to play the rest of the season. The medical people and strength and conditioning guys did a great job. They managed him through the games and training sessions. Now, in this situation, already being relegated, we have Jakub as a great number two who can fill in. Also for his experience, it’s very good. So for both, this was the decision. But he (Hermansen) has been playing through this injury, yes.”
Hermansen’s absence is a significant blow to Leicester City, who are already grappling with a series of injuries as they prepare for life in the Championship next season. The Danish international had initially sustained the injury during an away defeat to Newcastle in December but returned to action after a month. Despite efforts to manage the injury, surgery was deemed necessary to ensure Hermansen’s readiness for pre-season. However, with ongoing transfer speculation surrounding Hermansen, there is a possibility that he may have played his last game for the club.
Leicester City is dealing with a depleted squad as they face Southampton, with several players sidelined due to injuries. Bobby De Cordova-Reid is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a muscle injury sustained at Molineux. Ricardo Pereira is also out for a couple of weeks with a muscle injury, while Facundo Buonanotte is undergoing concussion protocols and will miss at least the upcoming match. Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu have already been ruled out, leaving the team thinner than before.
Ruud van Nistelrooy said: “We are a lot thinner than before. Ricardo Pereira came off with a muscle injury, so will be out for a couple of weeks so it’s possible he can still play (this season). Bobby De Cordova-Reid had a muscle injury and we don’t expect him to play this season anymore. Facundo had a concussion so he’s in the protocol for a concussion. He’ll miss Saturday’s game and we’ll see if he can make it into next week’s game. It’s as simple as that.”
Leicester City will need to rely on their squad depth and the experience of players like Jakub Stolarczyk as they navigate the remaining fixtures of the season.
