Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt an early injury blow after confirming that new signing Kieran Trippier will be out of action for several weeks following a knee injury sustained on his league debut for the club.
The 35-year-old former England international suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury in his left knee during Wolves' 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Friday. Trippier had joined the Molineux club on a free transfer in June, and his injury means he will now face a spell on the sidelines before he can make a further impact on the pitch.
The setback is not the only defensive concern for Wolves following the Blackburn clash. Yerson Mosquera also picked up an injury during the same match, with the 25-year-old sustaining a slight tear in his ankle ligaments. Like Trippier, Mosquera is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, leaving Wolves' backline options stretched as the new season gets underway.
Despite the fresh injury worries, there was more encouraging news elsewhere in the squad. Winger Rafiki Said, who arrived at the club over the summer, appears to be making steady progress after suffering a high-grade MCL injury of his own. Said picked up the problem during a pre-season friendly against Maidenhead United, just 11 days after signing for Wolves.
Wolves' director of performance, Phil Hayward, gave an update on Said's recovery, revealing that the 26-year-old has been putting in significant work behind the scenes despite the setback. "Rafiki's been working very hard in the gym for the last few weeks with his brace on. He's now out of the brace and the most recent scan looks great, so he's heading, certainly, in the right direction," Hayward said.
Hayward also provided updates on two other absentees from the first-team squad. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is reportedly around a week away from returning to full fitness, offering Wolves a boost between the posts in the near future. Meanwhile, Haiti international midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde remains a little further from full training involvement, with Hayward suggesting he is likely a couple of weeks away from rejoining his teammates on the training pitch.
The cluster of injuries represents a challenging start to the campaign for Wolves, who will now have to manage without several key players across multiple positions as they navigate the opening weeks of the season. Trippier's absence in particular will be felt keenly given the experience and quality he was expected to bring to the right-back position following his free transfer arrival.
With both Trippier and Mosquera facing extended lay-offs, Wolves' coaching staff will need to assess their options in defense, potentially turning to alternative personnel or tactical adjustments while their squad depth is tested early in the season.
The club will be hoping for swifter recoveries across the board, particularly with Said's positive trajectory offering some encouragement that the injury picture may improve as the weeks progress. Johnstone's near return to fitness also provides a timeline for one positive development amid the otherwise concerning injury news.
Wolves supporters will now watch closely for further updates as the club continues to manage its walking wounded list, with several first-team players working through individual recovery programs in hopes of returning to contribute to the season ahead.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.