Crystal Palace’s rising star Eberechi Eze is set for a long spell out with a serious Achilles injury which left outgoing Eagles manager Roy Hodgson “devastated”.
Also left saddened is Rangers first team coach Michael Beale who expressed his sadness over the recent news that Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze has injured his Achilles and could be out of action for several months.
Hodgson confirmed Eze’s injury ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League match against Arsenal – the 73-year-old’s manager’s last home game in charge of Palace.
It is a hugely disappointing conclusion to a promising first campaign for the attacker since a summer move from QPR. Eze has managed to thrive in south London despite his £20million price tag and produced a number of eye-catching displays.
With four goals and six assists from 29 top flight starts, he was expected to be central to the plans of the next Palace manager.
Yet with a long rehabilitation on the horizon, Hodgson’s successor could find himself without Eze for the foreseeable future.
Hodgson told BT Sport: “It is devastating, devastating in particular for him because he has had such a very good season and such a good start to his Premier League career.
“He has got better and better as the weeks rolled on and he is such a good guy as well. He is such an important member of the team.
“To see that (injury) happen, in such a freak situation, it is almost impossible to understand how it happened. Then for it to be such a serious injury, we are all absolutely devastated for him.
“But he is a strong young man, a resilient young man and he will come back stronger.”
For Beale who feels that Eze is a big talent says he is hopeful that he will be able to shake off his injury woe soon.
“Sad news”, tweeted Beale.
“Eze is one of the players I have enjoyed watching the most this season.
“Lovely talent and way of playing the game.
In his debut season at Selhurst Park, Eze scored four times for the Eagles and laid on six assists for his team-mates.