Confirmed: Ex-Derby County star Nathaniel Mendez-Laing reveals devastating news | OneFootball

Former Derby County winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has taken to Instagram to reveal that he requires surgery on a hamstring injury.

Former Derby County winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has revealed that he is facing a period on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury that will require surgery.

Mendez-Laing scored 21 goals and provided 33 assists in 145 appearances during a successful three-year spell at Derby before departing this summer to join ambitious League Two side MK Dons.

The 33-year-old's best season at Pride Park came in the 2023-24 campaign when he scored 10 goals and registered 18 assists in 50 games to help the Rams to automatic promotion from League One, but he fell out of favour in the Championship.

Mendez-Laing was handed the captain's armband at the start of last season by then-manager Paul Warne, but his game time became limited in the latter part of the campaign following the arrival of John Eustace as he started just two of the final 14 matches.

The winger exited Derby this summer to reunite with Warne at Stadium MK, but after a strong start to his Dons career, it looks as though he may now be set for an extended injury absence.

Mendez-Laing was one of a host of eye-catching signings made by MK Dons this summer in an attempt to win promotion from League Two, and given that he was playing in the Championship as recently as last season, it is little surprise that he has starred in the fourth tier.

The former Cardiff man has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 20 appearances for the Dons so far, with five of those goals coming in his last five outings, and he has played a key role in helping Warne's men emerge as promotion contenders.

MK Dons' promotion charge has stalled slightly after failing to win either of their last two games, but they are still fifth in the table, just four points behind third-placed Swindon Town and second-placed Notts County and six points behind leaders Walsall.

The Dons were held to a 1-1 home draw by Cambridge United on Saturday, and if the result was not frustrating enough for Warne, he also saw Mendez-Laing forced off in the 22nd minute with a hamstring injury, which he admitted post-match he was worried about.

"Nat felt his hamstring. We’ve been managing his minutes, I didn’t want to take him off on Tuesday (against Notts County) but I knew for him to go back-to-back like that we’d need to manage him. I didn’t think it would be a problem so early in the game. But he felt it go so that’s a concern," Warne told the Milton Keynes Citizen.

Warne's worst fears regarding Mendez-Laing have now been confirmed, with the winger taking to social media on Wednesday to reveal his disappointment at the news that his injury will require surgery.

"Devastated with the news of needing to have surgery, I'll be working tirelessly to get back fit and helping my team. Thank you for all the messages of support. Let the journey begin. God's plan," Mendez-Laing wrote on Instagram.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing injury could not be worse timing for Paul Warne and MK Dons

With Mendez-Laing scoring five goals in his last five games, he has been in outstanding form for MK Dons of late, so his injury will no doubt come as a hugely frustrating blow for both the player and Warne.

The situation is made even worse for the Dons by the fact that Mendez-Laing will miss crucial games against many of their fellow promotion contenders over the festive period, including the likes of Swindon, Notts County, Colchester United and Chesterfield, and while the exact timeframe of his absence is unclear at this point, it seems likely to be months rather than weeks.

Given the integral role he has played so far this season, MK Dons supporters will be hoping to see Mendez-Laing back as soon as possible, and those well-wishes will be echoed by the Derby faithful, who still hold the winger in high regard.