Isaac Mabaya will bid farewell to Latics after suffering an Achilles injury on his full debutplaceholder image
Isaac Mabaya will bid farewell to Latics after suffering an Achilles injury on his full debut
On-loan Liverpool defender Isaac Mabaya faces surgery on the Achilles injury he sustained playing for Wigan Athletic against Notts County in midweek - which will rule him out 'for the foreseeable'.
Latics head coach Ryan Lowe delivered the depressing news after speaking to the player, who travelled down to London on Wednesday to see a top specialist.
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While the full prognosis is not yet known, it looks like Mabaya’s Latics career could be over before it ever had chance to get going.
"Isaac went to London on Wednesday to speak to a specialist,” said the Latics chief. “And it has been confirmed he has an Achilles issue.
"We'll obviously liaise with Liverpool now but, when the time's right, I'm sure he'll have to have that operated on. In the meantime, we'll wait to hear from Liverpool in terms of what happens next.
"I've spoken to Isaac, and he's obviously disappointed, but I'm just gutted for him.
"I'd been monitoring him for many years, going back to my time at Preston, and I really thought this could be the year that he could get going. Unfortunately it doesn't look like that's going to be the case.
"We don't know the exact diagnosis - apart from it's his Achilles - or how long it's going to be. But he's definitely not going to be with us for the foreseeable.
"Obviously we wish him all the best, and he's in the best possible hands at Liverpool.
"He's going to be back here to see a game as soon as he can, I've told him to not be shy and stay away, and to come back to see the lads when he feels ready."
With such a huge question mark over his availability, will he remain a Latics player or revert to belonging to his parent club?
"I think the handover will go back to Liverpool," said Lowe. "And I think it's only right they do that, he's their player, he's their asset, we've done everything we can on our side.
"Joe (Maden-Wilkinson), the physio, has said he'll be handed over to Liverpool, which I think is right.
"Unfortunately, it's another setback for Isaac, he's had so many already as a young lad, but hopefully he can bounce back from it...what doesn't break you..."
Lowe was also asked whether the player would continue to take up a valuable loan spot with Latics or whether the arrangement with Liverpool could be looked at.
"Well he can't remain our loan player if he's not going to be able to play," added the Liverpudlian.
"I'll leave all that to Gregor (Rioch, sporting director) who will sort that out with Liverpool, they'll have that conversation and fix the nitty gritty bits.
"But for me as a head coach, he's obviously not going to be available to me any time soon, if any this season, for anyone."
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