Former Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has been readmitted to hospital for emergency surgery after complications arose from a routine ankle operation. The 67-year-old, who currently manages the Austrian national team, initially underwent a procedure to address wear and tear on his ankle at a clinic in Salzburg. The first surgery appeared to go smoothly, and he was discharged shortly afterwards.
However, the wound became inflamed and infected, forcing Rangnick to return to hospital. Medics successfully brought the infection under control, and he is said to be recovering well. An Austrian Football Association spokesman confirmed: 'Ralf Rangnick is doing well. Nobody needs to have any concerns about his health.' Rangnick is expected to be discharged on Friday.
The Austrian FA is confident that Rangnick will be available for the nation's upcoming World Cup qualifiers in September, where Austria will face Cyprus and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Austria have a perfect record so far in qualifying.
Rangnick, who previously managed Stuttgart, Schalke and RB Leipzig, spent six months as Manchester United's interim manager after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021. He famously described the club's problems as requiring 'open heart surgery' to fix, a phrase that has now taken on a literal twist given his recent medical ordeal.
