Thijs Dallinga facing months out with cruciate ligament injury
The FC Köln striker could miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in a friendly against Viktoria Köln.
Thijs Dallinga is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament injury. Voetbalzone reports that FC Köln confirmed the Dutch striker will be unavailable for several months, leaving open the possibility that his season is already over.
The injury occurred during Saturday’s friendly against city rivals Viktoria Köln. Köln did not provide a precise recovery timetable, but said it would support Dallinga through his rehabilitation and expressed confidence that he would return strongly.
The setback follows an eye-catching start to life in the Bundesliga for the 26-year-old. On his league debut against TSG Hoffenheim on 29 August, Dallinga came off the bench in the 66th minute and scored twice as Köln overturned a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2. He did not score in his next two appearances while available, leaving him with two league goals so far.
Dallinga joined Köln on loan from Bologna during the summer. His contract with the Italian club runs until mid-2028, while Köln hold an option to sign him permanently after the season. The injury also removes him from immediate Netherlands consideration. Dallinga has one senior cap, earned on his debut in the 6-0 European Championship qualifying victory over Gibraltar on 21 November 2023.
Reported first by
- Noodlot treft Thijs Dallinga: einde seizoen dreigt voor potentiële Oranje-spits | Voetbalzone— Voetbalzone
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