Kompany to miss start of season
Manchester City midfielder Vincent Kompany is scheduled for a foot operation that is certain to rule him out for the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign, the club have confirmed.
Kompany returned early from their training week in Bavaria and manager Mark Hughes is resigned to losing his services in a bid to solve the problem of the Belgium international’s nagging toe injury.
Painkilling injections and specially-adapted boots became the norm for Kompany in the second half of last season following his arrival from Hamburg.
But he is now resting up and Hughes told www.mcfc.co.uk: “The likelihood is that he will need a procedure. If he has to have an operation Vincent will miss the start of the season.”
Hughes believes it is important the 23-year-old is treated sooner rather than later.
“We sent him to a consultant surgeon at the end of last season and he recommended injecting the toe and giving him six weeks’ complete rest,” said the City boss.
“But he was suffering the same amount of pain again in training in Germany.
“He’s been back to see the surgeon now. We hoped the rest would cure it but it’s a bit more complex than that. It’s important that we address it now and make sure Vince is fit for the rest of the season.”
Kompany still managed to make 34 appearances in his debut season and Hughes added: “We nursed him through to the point where he had to concede that he just couldn’t carry on.
“He had numerous needles into the joint but he stuck with it bravely. He did really well for the team.”
