Wrexham striker Nathan Broadhead has been forced to withdraw from Wales' upcoming international squad after picking up a thigh injury during training, dealing a blow to both club and country ahead of a busy schedule of fixtures.
The 28-year-old had been named in Craig Bellamy's 28-man party for Wales' Nations League commitments, which include a trip to face Portugal, a meeting with Denmark in Copenhagen, and a home double-header against Norway and Denmark. However, the injury sustained on the training pitch means he will play no part in the camp.
Broadhead's absence will also be felt at club level, with the forward set to miss Wrexham's Championship encounter against Southampton this Saturday.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson confirmed the setback, expressing his disappointment given the player's recent form in training. "Broady has strained his thigh in training, which is a shame because he was training well," Parkinson said. "That's going to keep him out for the weekend but there's nothing new from that."
When pressed on whether the injury would rule Broadhead out of the Wales squad entirely, Parkinson confirmed the news bluntly: "Yes."
The setback is a frustrating one for Broadhead, who has 20 caps for his country and had appeared to be building momentum after starting Wrexham's opening three Championship matches of the season. However, his involvement had since become sporadic, with the forward failing to feature in the club's subsequent fixtures against Millwall, Swansea City, Burnley and West Ham United.
His withdrawal leaves Bellamy with one less attacking option as Wales embark on an extended and demanding international window. The Dragons open their campaign with a trip to face Portugal on 24 September, before heading to Copenhagen to take on Denmark. The schedule then sees Wales return home to host Norway, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals, on 1 October, followed by a second meeting with Denmark on 4 October.
For Wrexham, the priority now shifts to managing Broadhead's recovery so he can return in time for the club's fixtures once the international break concludes. Parkinson's comments suggest the injury, while significant enough to rule him out of multiple matches, is not viewed as a long-term concern.
The forward's inconsistent involvement in recent weeks will now be extended further, with both his club and country needing to assess alternative options in his absence. Wrexham face a testing period without one of their more experienced attacking players, while Wales will look to other forwards to step up during a crucial stretch of Nations League fixtures against high-quality opposition.
Attention for Wrexham now turns to Saturday's home clash with Southampton, where Parkinson will need to reshuffle his attacking options without Broadhead available. Meanwhile, Bellamy and his coaching staff will continue preparations for the Portugal fixture with a slightly depleted squad, as they look to navigate a demanding block of matches against strong European opposition without one of their more seasoned international performers.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.