Emmanuel Agyei will not require surgery on the knee injury he suffered last month, but the Dundee United midfielder faces several weeks on the sidelines. The Ghanaian is currently in a brace and was given time off, missing the Tangerines' training camp in Portugal.
Goodwin confirms injury is not as bad as first feared
Manager Jim Goodwin confirmed: “Agyei is not out with us. He needs a little bit of time. We have given him time with his family to go and be with them for a few days.
“It is a knee injury, but it is not as bad as first feared. We initially all feared the worst. It didn’t look good in training. He went for the scans and I pleased to say there is no surgery needed at this moment in time.
“It is just going to be a gradual rehab programme that he will be on. I can’t put a timescale on it right now.
“It is not an ACL where it is season over or anything like that. His leg is in a brace. It will be weeks rather than months.
“He couldn’t do anything initially until the swelling went down and we were able to get it scanned. That is why we have given him time off.”
Rehab to start at St Andrews next week
Goodwin added that Agyei will begin his rehabilitation at St Andrews next week. The manager explained: “He will be back with the squad on Monday.
“That is when the rehab will start for real for him. We will work to get that strength round his knee and he can get back in amongst it.
“Hopefully, he can get in and about it again very quickly.
“He is the only one who is not here for anything other than football reasons.”
Merghem also nursing knee niggle
Winger Mehdi Merghem is also still struggling with a more minor knee issue. “He has got a little bit of a niggle around the knee area,” Goodwin stated. “It shouldn’t be a lengthy injury.
“He should be back in a couple of weeks at the most.
“Mehdi is over in Portugal with us. He is working hard on his rehab and strengthening the knee. It will be good to get him back over the next couple of weeks.”
International players due back
United have a number of players away on international duty, including Iurie Iovu, Zidane Iqbal and Pan Camara. Goodwin is hoping they return unscathed and will assess them on their return.
The Irishman added: “We not had any negative reports from the boys who have been away on international duty, so long may that continue.
“Zidane Iqbal will be back with the team on Monday. One or two others have games in the early part of next week and so they will join up later.”
