City’s top scorer limped out of Wales’ World Cup qualifying loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina last week and will play no part in their friendly against Northern Ireland on Tuesday
Leicester City midfielder Jordan James limped out of Wales’ World Cup qualifying defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Leicester City are hoping top scorer Jordan James has not suffered a serious injury after the midfielder returned early from Wales duty.
James appeared to hurt his Achilles during the first half of Wales’ World Cup qualifying defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina last Thursday, the Rennes loanee battling through until he limped off around the hour mark.
Wales have now confirmed that James will play no part in their match against Northern Ireland on Tuesday night and that he had returned to City for “further medical assessment”.
With the club’s Championship future on the line, City’s hopes of survival will be dented if they do not have their leading scorer, and star performer, available for the run-in.
Speaking on Monday afternoon, Wales boss Craig Bellamy said: “JJ unfortunately got injured during the game. He tried to play on but it was just too painful so he’s gone back to Leicester.”
James has not long returned from a hamstring injury that kept him for more than a month. Since his return, he’s made an impact, with a goal and an assist in his three starts.
That goal in the defeat to QPR took his tally to double figures for the campaign, with James scoring more goals than the club’s two leading strikers combined.
Gary Rowett will give a more detailed update on James at his press conference on Wednesday, and while he will hope to have the 21-year-old available, he does have plenty of options to choose from.
Divine Mukasa, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Aaron Ramsey can all play in the number 10 position, which was where James played in City’s last game at Watford.
In home matches, Rowett has used James as a box-to-box midfielder, with Joe Aribo the leading contender to replace him in that position, unless Oliver Skipp’s role is tweaked.
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