Manchester City midfielder sidelined for ‘around four months’ with surgery on heel problem expected | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City could be without one of their central midfield stars for around four months, new reports have revealed.

The news arrives at a challenging time for Guardiola, who has already been navigating a period of transition in midfield with changes to personnel and tactical structure, alongside a relentless fixture list across competitions.

Mateo Kovacic, who joined Manchester City from Chelsea in 2023, has endured a difficult spell with injuries and fitness setbacks over the last few months, and his continued struggles threaten to further limit his involvement during a key portion of the campaign.

Manchester City’s midfield group has already seen fluctuations in availability this season, and losing an experienced figure like Kovacic will force Guardiola to lean more heavily on younger players and his summer arrivals.

The Croatian’s calmness in possession and experience in high-pressure situations have made him a valuable squad member, even if he has not always been a guaranteed starter. And with a demanding schedule across competitions, Kovacic’s absence will place greater responsibility on the likes of Nico Gonzalez, Rodri, and new signing Tijjani Reijnders in the deeper roles.

According to Croatia’s Sportske Novosti, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, Mateo Kovacic is experiencing ‘new pain in the heel area’ and has travelled to London for tests including an MRI scan, while also visiting Dr. James Caldar – who carried out surgery on him in June.

It is revealed that the results of those assessments have shown ‘calcification’ in Kovacic’s heel, resulting in pain and inflammation, and having undergone conservative therapy at Manchester City the issue remained unresolved.

As such, Sportske Novosti report that the Manchester City midfielder is set to undergo surgery, ‘lighter in structure than the one he had in June’, carried out by a London specialist with a rehabilitation process expected to last around four months.

That would mean that Manchester City may only welcome back their highly-experienced midfielder in late February or early March.

The update raises questions about how City will manage midfield rotation. With the January window approaching, Guardiola and recruitment staff could reassess plans depending on medical timelines and squad requirements, although the club typically prioritise long-term planning over reactive signings.

For Mateo Kovacic, the challenge now will be returning to full fitness and rhythm at a point in the season where competition intensifies across all fronts for the club.

The Croatian’s reported recovery schedule suggests he may only begin to feature again when City are deep into a title run-in and UEFA Champions League knockout stages, should results progress as hoped in the coming weeks.

Manchester City will hope that early action on the problem ensures Kovacic can make a meaningful contribution when he returns, but his continued struggles also place a spotlight on the club’s need to ensure durability and depth in midfield as the campaign progresses.