Kerala Blasters forward Jaushua Sotirio suffers injury setback; could be out for majority of 2023-24 season - Reports
Kerala Blasters FC's brand new signing, Jaushua Sotirio, has suffered a major setback after suffering an injury on Sunday, July 16. According to a report from The Bridge today, the Australian forward is likely to miss the majority of the upcoming season after injuring his ankle.
The Sydney-born joined the club only two months back from A-League club Newcastle Jets on a two-year contract, with the Blasters notably paying an undisclosed transfer fee. However, he suffered the injury during a pre-season training session and will now have to undergo surgery. The recovery process is also expected to be lengthy.
For the past two days, there had been plenty of speculation surrounding the 27-year-old's injury after a video of him limping and being helped to his car went viral. While fans hoped that it would be a minor incident, the news of his prolonged absence will dampen their spirit, especially with the start of the season inching closer.
Reportedly, the center-forward will miss the upcoming Durand Cup, which is set to kick off on August 3.
Jaushua Sotirio's injury one of the many setbacks Kerala Blasters have to negate before the start of the season
With the Durand Cup approaching thick and fast, Kerala Blasters have only a limited time available to find a replacement for Jaushua Sotirio if they decide to. The club, having paid some transfer fee for his signature, will be left massively shorthanded after his injury. Finding a capable alternative within the time and budgetary limitations will be a huge task for the Blasters.
However, that isn't their only headache. The departure of Sahal Abdul Samad and Ayush Adhikari (as reported by Sportskeeda) has left a gaping hole in the squad. Furthermore, in Sotirio's absence, KBFC have just three available overseas option - Marko Leskovic, Adrian Luna, and Dimitri Diamantakos.
As things stand, this hasn't been a kind build-up to the upcoming season for Kerala Blasters.