Saúl of Flamengo waits for Van Dijk to return from holiday for surgery | OneFootball

Midfielder Saúl Ñíguez believes lack of preseason and hard Brazilian pitches are linked to injury

Flamengo announced on Friday (02) that Saúl Ñíguez would travel to Spain to undergo surgery this week. However, the player is waiting until this Thursday (08), the date when doctor Niek van Dijk returns from vacation.

Thus, the procedure on the Spaniard’s left heel is expected to take place this Friday (09). The recovery time for the surgery is estimated to be between two and three months. This information comes from journalist Venê Casagrande.

Why does Saúl need to wait for this doctor?

Niek van Dijk is considered a world reference in insertional Achilles tendinopathy, that is, a prominent bone in the heel that causes pain. The specialist has already operated on athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Van Persie, and Ballack.

How did Saúl get injured?

At the end of last season, the new signing complained about the lack of a preseason. The player believes that the poor quality of the pitches in Brazilian football contributed to the injury, which forced him to play under anesthesia.

Who plays in place of the Spaniard?

The absence of Saúl was masked by the return of Erick Pulgar in 2025. Thus, the Chilean took over the starting spot alongside Jorginho, which is expected to continue into 2026. However, the bench is weakened without the midfielder, as De La Cruz is facing physical problems and Allan may leave. So, Evertton Araújo is left to take the spot.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.