The creative midfielder injured his right knee while on international duty ahead of the FIFA World Cup
Manuel Lanzini is set to miss the whole of the 2018/19 season, it has emerged.
West Ham’s tricky Argentinian playmaker could be out for up to 15 months after the severity of his knee injury was revealed.
The creative midfielder was initially told there was a possibility he may be back in less than a year after rupturing cruciate ligaments in the build up to the 2018 World Cup.
But, as first revealed by The Sun, the injury is now being described as a ‘cruciate plus’ – worse than first feared.
Lanzini was hurt in training with Lionel Messi and co just a week or so before the tournament began in Russia.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS
WHERE ARE THEY?
Your cruciate ligaments are found inside your knee joint and cross over to form a ‘X’ shape with the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).
WHAT DO THEY DO?
Cruciate ligaments control the back and forward movement of the knee. Your ACL specifically provides rotational stability to the knee and prevents your tibia from sliding out in front of the femur.
WHAT HAS LANZINI DONE?
The West Ham star has what is known as a grade three sprain of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is commonly referred to as a complete tear of the ligament.
As a result, the knee joint is unstable. But a cruciate plus suggests there could be nerve damage at the very least.
Lanzini is a key player for the Hammers and is seen as the creative hub at the heart of the team.
New boss Manuel Pellegrini may now be forced to delve into the transfer market as a result of the injury news, which will be seen as a massive blow to the new boss’ plans.
As a fan of tricky, diminutive playmakers, many believed Pellegrini was planning to build his new-look West Ham side around the 25-year-old.
The club have already broken their transfer record to sign £24 million defender Issa Diop, plus Swansea City keeper Lukasz Fabianski and defender Ryan Fredericks from Fulham.
After seemingly fixing the porous defence, Pellegrini is set to bolster the Hammers’ midfield and attacking options.
Moves for Nice star Jean-Michael Seri and Felipe Anderson of Lazio have been mooted as the club look to build on a 13th-place finish in the Premier League last season.