Leicester City loanee faces months out after double leg fracture

Leicester City loanee Nathan Opoku faces months on the sidelines after suffering a double leg fracture.

The striker, on loan at sister club OH Leuven, will undergo surgery on Wednesday after a collision in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Westerlo left the Ghanaian with a devastating injury. Coming on as a late substitute, Opoku was stretchered off six minutes later and taken straight to hospital.

In a statement on Wednesday, Leuven said: “After a duel with Westerlo goalkeeper Nick Gillekens, newly-substituted Nathan Opoku suffered a serious injury. The attacker had to be carried off the field on a stretcher and was taken to hospital for further examination.

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“It became clear that Opoku had suffered a double leg fracture. The attacker is still undergoing surgery today. A long rehabilitation awaits Opoku. Get well soon Nathan, we are thinking of you.”

Opoku’s team-mates appeared to be in shock over the incident and were seen with their heads in their hands as medics treated the Ghanaian. Midfielder Siebe Schrijvers said after the game: “Disappointment prevails after Opoku's injury. We immediately saw that it was very serious. Then you no longer think about playing football.”

In his second spell at Leuven, Opoku has had an injury-hit campaign, starting just nine times and scoring two goals. That’s after netting three times at the end of last season, having been loaned out by City in January immediately after signing from Syracuse University.

Leuven themselves are competing in the European competition play-off round of the Belgian First Division after narrowly avoiding the relegation round. They have to finish top of the six-team group to qualify for a head-to-head for a place in the Europa Conference League, but they’re currently 13 points behind leaders Gent with only five matches left to play.