Cambridge United midfielder Hiram Boateng ruled out for two months
Hiram Boateng is set to be on the sidelines for two months.
The 24-year-old midfielder suffered a shoulder injury in the 1-0 defeat to Mansfield Town, and after an appointment with a specialist has had keyhole surgery.
It means that the work to repair the slight tear will keep the loanee out for eight weeks, which goes past the end of his loan spell from MK Dons.
“There was no fracture. It was a simple dislocation but in dislocating it he has torn one of the ligaments around the shoulder,” said United head coach Mark Bonner.
“It needed some keyhole surgery which was able to be done on Wednesday, and that will keep him out for about eight weeks.
“It’s probably about the length of time we expected with a dislocation and the surgery wasn’t as invasive or as severe as perhaps Kyle Knoyle’s shoulder was last year.
“It is something he will return back from, but it will keep him out for a period of time which goes outside of the period of time we’ve got him on loan for.
“We will wait to see what happens with that.
“Obviously we want to try to keep him with us, but we need to see how that unfolds and if that suits everybody else.”
Ahead of the trip to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday (December 12), other than Boateng and Liam O’Neil, United could be set for a clean bill of health.
There were no additional concerns following the 2-0 win over Gillingham in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday, so it is a question of whether Joe Ironside will pass a fitness test on his quad injury.
Wes Hoolahan is available for selection and, given the performances in midweek, it will increase Bonner’s selection options.
“It is exactly what you want from players - when you put them in the team, they’ve got to grab the opportunity and take the shirt,” said Bonner.
“All of them have done well, especially the ones that came in and haven’t played so much like Harry (Darling), Leon (Davies), Idris (El Mizouni) and Callum (Burton).
“They were the four changes, and all four played well. They are certainly itching to get into the team, as is Joey, as is Wes, as are the ones that dropped out.
“We’ve got a nice bit of competition there, lots of options of how we can go about it and the shape we could play.
“We haven’t made those decisions yet, or we might have done but we’re not ready to announce it yet. We’ve certainly got plenty of options as to how we can go this weekend which is good.”
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