Former Southampton and Premier League striker Dani Osvaldo, 40, is in intensive care at a Buenos Aires hospital after emergency surgery to remove part of his lung.
Emergency procedure in Buenos Aires
According to Argentinian outlet TyC Sports, the former Premier League footballer was rushed to hospital in Buenos Aires after experiencing severe chest pains, with his condition worsening significantly over the past week.
On Thursday, medics discovered he had suffered a serious pleural effusion — a dangerous build-up of excess fluid between the lung membrane linings and the chest wall. The procedure reportedly involved removing a small portion of lung tissue.
Career across Italy and England
Following the operation, Osvaldo — who was born and raised in Argentina but represented Italy at international level — was transferred to the ICU, where he is said to remain under close observation.
Osvaldo began his professional career in Argentina with Huracan in 2005, before moving to Italy with Atalanta in 2006. He went on to play for Atalanta, Lecce, Fiorentina and Bologna before securing his move to the Premier League.
Southampton spell and retirement
Osvaldo spent two seasons at Southampton, making 13 Premier League appearances for the Saints and netting three times during his spell at the club. He moved on loan to Juventus, Inter Milan and Boca Juniors before departing St Mary's permanently in 2015 to join Porto.
Osvaldo hung up his boots in 2016 to pursue his passion for music, but ended his retirement four years later to return and play for Banfield. Banfield had been his first club at youth level, yet Osvaldo had never made a professional appearance for the side until 2020.
