Nottingham Forest: 'Hopeful' update issued about £42k-a-week star's injury | OneFootball

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·24 November 2022

Nottingham Forest: 'Hopeful' update issued about £42k-a-week star's injury

Article image:Nottingham Forest: 'Hopeful' update issued about £42k-a-week star's injury

Nottingham Forest star Cheikhou Kouyate will be “hopeful” of coming back into contention when the Premier League season resumes after suffering an injury at the World Cup, according to journalist Ben Dinnery.

The Reds’ central midfielder arrived at the City Ground in the summer, with manager Steve Cooper bringing him in on a free transfer after leaving Crystal Palace.


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What is the latest news involving Kouyate?

Kouyate was stretchered off in the 73rd minute of Senegal’s World Cup clash against the Netherlands on Monday night, after colliding with opposition player Frenkie de Jong, a game that his country went on to lose 2-0 in his absence.

The Nottingham Post point out that the 32-year-old was performing well in the game, playing his part in keeping the game scoreless, and so having to be withdrawn early poses another potential issue for manager Aliou Cisse, who is already missing Sadio Mane.

Cisse confirmed that the injury was a twisted ankle and that his key man in the engine room is undergoing further checks, although he could potentially still feature in his national side’s next game against Qatar.

However, reports are conflicting, as Sport News Africa claim that he is expected to miss the remainder of the group games, which will pose a concern for club manager Cooper about his long-term fitness.

What has Dinnery said about Kouyate?

Due to the £42k-a-week star having time on his side in his recovery, Dinnery remains positive about the outlook for Forest, particularly because the issue has not yet been properly assessed.

The injury expert told GIVEMESPORT: “With regards to that injury, it’s one that would need to be fully assessed to determine the extent of that ankle issue.

Given the fact that we’re a month or so away from the resumption of the league, you’d be hopeful that he would be okay for Forest.

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Article image:Nottingham Forest: 'Hopeful' update issued about £42k-a-week star's injury

We’ll start easy…

Michu Chico Flores

How much would Nottingham Forest miss Kouyate?

Kouyate is a vital cog in the Forest midfield and his defensive acumen is best highlighted by the amount of clearances he makes, registering 2.03 per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 94th percentile compared to his positional peers.

Described as a “top player” by former teammate Scott Dann, the 82-cap Senegal international has featured 12 times in the Premier League this season, and has shown in glimpses of the talent that he possesses, putting in a very solid display against Liverpool, making three tackles, the joint-second highest total of any player.

Consequently, news of his potential injury will be a blow for Cooper, particularly because the holding midfielder had just started to find his best form, but there will now be a wait to find out the true extent of the issue.

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