Swansea City’s Fernando Llorente is out of Season’s opener with a broken arm.
Swansea striker Fernando Llorente will be unavailable to play the first match of the season against Southampton after he broke his arm while cycling during the summer break.
The 32-year old fractured a bone in his lower arm while cycling on a family holiday in June. The English club were initially hopeful that he would be able to make an appearance against Southampton on August 12 and Manchester United in the following week but manager Paul Clement has ruled him out of the squad.
The club’s website reported Clement as saying, “Fernando’s rehabilitating individually – he has not joined the team training yet. But assuming all goes well, we anticipate that happening in the next 10 days.”
“I think it is unlikely he will be involved in the first couple of games, but his return will not be long after that. The most important thing is that we get the arm right.”
Clement added, “You don’t want him to re-fracture it and then end up with Fernando needing surgery, because a six-week injury can then become a six-month injury.”
The Spain International was Swansea’s top scorer last season, ending the club’s campaign with 15 goals as the club narrowly escaped relegation. Llorente, who was a participant in Spain’s triumphant 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 squads, was linked with a transfer to Premier League champions Chelsea.
