Tottenham Hotspur attacker Richarlison has undergone successful surgery on a groin injury.
The 26-year-old had featured in each of Tottenham's opening 10 games of the Premier League season under Ange Postecoglou but was an unused substitute in the weekend's 4-1 loss to Chelsea.
Brennan Johnson was given the nod on the left-hand side as Richarlison warmed the bench, and the former Everton man was also left out of the Brazil squad for November's internationals.
While Postecoglou and Fernando Diniz's decisions appeared to be tactical at first, Richarlison revealed after the weekend's defeat that he had been nursing a pelvic issue, which would require an operation.
On Thursday afternoon, Richarlison revealed on social media that he had completed the procedure to end the "chronic" and "unbearable" pain he had been dealing with since the start of 2023.
"Hey everyone! Today, I underwent surgery to correct a chronic issue I've been experiencing in the pubic region," Richarlison wrote on Instagram, where he shared an image of him posing in a hospital bed.
"Since the beginning of the year, I've been dealing with unbearable pain, affecting my performance and joy on the field. A few days ago, I decided it was time to prioritize my health, recover, and regain the physical condition for my best performance and, most importantly, to live without the pain I've been feeling.
"Now, I'm heading home to rest a bit and kick off the recovery process. I know there will be challenging days without doing what I love most in life, but it wouldn't be fair to myself, my club, and the national team to keep neglecting my health.
"Very soon, I'll be back, God willing, 100% recovered and ready for the challenges ahead! Thanks for all the messages of support, and a big shoutout to the club's doctors for their attentive care! Cheers!"
Meanwhile, Tottenham confirmed in their own statement that Richarlison is expected to return to training in the "coming weeks", although no date has been pencilled in for his comeback just yet.
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"We can confirm that Richarlison has undergone groin surgery today. The Brazil international will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately, before returning to training in the coming weeks. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Richy!" Tottenham wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Richarlison has struggled to find his shooting boots since leaving Everton for Spurs in 2022, scoring just five times in 46 matches for the Lilywhites across all tournaments, in addition to seven assists.
The 26-year-old has two goals and three assists to show from 11 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign, scoring just his second Premier League goal for Postecoglou's side in a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind win over Sheffield United.
Alongside Richarlison, Tottenham are also expected to work without Micky van de Ven for the remainder of 2023 due to the thigh injury he sustained against Chelsea, while Manor Solomon, Alfie Whiteman, Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon are also sidelined.
Ben Davies and James Maddison are also doubts for Saturday's clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero will both miss out through suspension, leaving Postecoglou down to the bare bones in defence.
Ben Knapton
