Manchester City midfielder completes successful surgery with potential return date revealed | OneFootball

One of Manchester City’s most experienced midfielders is due to be out until early March after undergoing successful surgery on a heel injury that has left him in a protective boot.

Since joining City from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, having made 221 first-team appearances for the west London club, Mateo Kovacic has enjoyed his time in England’s north-west.

The Croatia international won the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s side in his maiden season at the Etihad Stadium but the Austria-born talent has suffered fitness setback after setback since the summer that have cast huge doubt over his prospects for club and country.

In June, the 31-year-old was sidelined with a Haglund’s heel injury – a growth that brings great pain and limits movement in the heel and ankle area – causing Kovacic to miss the opening months of Manchester City’s start to the 2025-26 season.

However, the former Chelsea man underwent treatment which helped him return to training with City but calcifications formed in the heel area and were once again causing the midfielder pain, particularly when lifting weights. 

Conservative therapy was tried but Manchester City eventually went down the surgery route, which has left their experienced midfielder in a protective boot, as reported by Sportske Novosti and relayed by Sport Witness.

Kovacic must oblige by the advice given to him by the same doctor who also worked on his earlier issue in June – as he is expected to wear a special boot to protect the operated area.

Moreover, Kovacic can take off the bandage on his lower leg to clean the area while icing around the ankle every two hours. The plan is for him to travel to London next week – with City’s club doctors – for a check-up and removal of stitches with the hope that he feels little to no pain at all.

With an expected return coming in March 2026, that will give him time until the end of the ongoing season to be ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer. 

It extends another injury problem for Guardiola in a season where these persisting problems could derail hopes of a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, with City currently sitting in second place in the table after 11 games. 

Ballon d’Or winner Rodri remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury that was unequivocally caused as a result of his earlier anterior cruciate injury in September 2024 against Arsenal, which left him out of action for eight months. 

Guardiola does have back-up options in midfield – the likes of Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez have enjoyed their starts to life in England, though the City manager has often relied on Bernardo Silva to drop deeper too – while reinforcements in January have not been completely ruled out as yet either.