Blackpool forward Michael Obafemi’s season has come to an early conclusion due to injury.
Michael Obafemi has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to an ankle injury - less than a month on from his loan move to Bloomfield Road.
The Burnley forward was forced off ahead of the break in the Seasiders’ 4-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon, and will now require surgery.
On the back of his switch to Bloomfield Road, after spending the first half of the season in Germany with Vfl Bochum, the 25-year-old featured five times in total in Tangerine, but never truly got up to speed on the Fylde Coast.
The Republic of Ireland international becomes Blackpool’s second January loan signing to have their spell ended early, with Kamarl Grant also being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due following his move from Millwall.
Sharing the striker’s blow, Seasiders boss Ian Evatt said: “Michael Obafemi with a significant ankle injury, so we’ll be losing him for the rest of the season. He’s requiring surgery, and he’s currently on his way to London to have that.
“It’s another innocuous incident where he just planted his foot looking to switch the ball, and suffered a high ankle tear, which means it needs surgical intervention - which isn’t ideal at all.
“It’s been incredibly challenging prior to me joining and post me. The correlation between good results and performances has been when the squad was healthy and available.
“We haven’t been able to pick from our best players often enough this season, and it’s absolutely hurt us.
“When we have made some remedies during the January window, to lose two of those through in-game ankle injuries is tough to take.
“We are where we are and we understand where we are, we have to move forward.”
Update on Blackpool summer signing
Dale Taylorplaceholder image
Dale Taylor | Gareth Evans / Blackpool FC
Obafemi was recruited by Blackpool as short-term cover for Dale Taylor - who has spent the majority of the season on the sidelines on the back of his summer move from Nottingham Forest, with his last outing coming on Boxing Day.
“He’s fine but we won’t see him until March - his recovery is going well,” Evatt added.
“Niall (Ennis) is improving, he’s back pushing for a starting position, which is great.
“George (Honeyman) and Joel (Randall) will return later this week (for Bolton Wanderers). Joel won’t be available due to the parent club issue, but George certainly will.
“When you get some back, you lose some, but that’s just the season it’s been so far. We’ve just got to deal with what’s ahead of us and do what we need to do to get ourselves out of trouble.”
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