Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has disclosed that striker George Hurst sustained a “significant hamstring injury” during the Boxing Day draw against Leicester City. Hurst, who has contributed six goals and six assists this season, suffered the injury while trying to control a ball in the first half and had to be substituted against his former club.
Speaking ahead of the Championship clash with QPR, McKenna provided an update on Hurst’s condition, stating, “It’s still being assessed, but it’s a significant injury to his hamstring. He’s had some scans, and he’ll be seeing a specialist to get further clarification on what timescales we’re looking at. It’s not a very short-term injury. I think we can say that clearly. We should be able to put a clearer timescale on it next week.”
With Dane Scarlett recently recalled by Tottenham, Ipswich Town’s other options as out-and-out strikers are Kayden Jackson and Freddie Ladapo. McKenna acknowledged the blow of losing Hurst, noting, “It’s a big blow. He’s been very, very important to how we play and he’s developed a lot over the last 12 months.”
McKenna expressed confidence in the available strikers, emphasizing that they have performed well in cup competitions and training. However, he acknowledged the intention to strengthen the squad in the upcoming transfer window.
“We have strikers here who have done well for us in cup competitions and have been training well. Of course, we’re also pretty close to a transfer window where we’ll try and add to the squad,” McKenna said.
Regarding other injury concerns, McKenna mentioned ongoing assessments for a couple of players with scans scheduled for the day. He emphasized the physical demands of recent games against Leeds and Leicester, resulting in niggles and knocks in the squad. The manager indicated that decisions on the lineup for the upcoming matches, including the fixture against Stoke on New Year’s Day, would be made after thorough assessments.
Looking ahead to the January transfer window, McKenna revealed the desire to reinforce certain positions, especially in the forward areas. While acknowledging the challenge of the transfer market, he emphasized the team’s focus on adding quality and options. McKenna recognized the importance of the upcoming window but emphasized the current focus on the upcoming matches against QPR and Stoke, with a more dedicated focus on transfers during the FA Cup break.
Leave a Reply