Reading’s Kermorgant hands Stam injury blow

(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)

Reading have been handed a big blow ahead of the upcoming season with the news striker Yann Kermorgant will miss the start of the campaign after having surgery on his hip and groin.

The 35-year-old Frenchman, who joined the Royals from Bournemouth in January 2016, fired Jaap Stam’s side to last season’s Championship play-off final, finding the net 19 times in all competitions before the club eventually lost to Huddersfield on penalties.

However, after a long and arduous campaign, Kermorgant has had to undergo hip surgery, and will miss Reading’s pre-season trip to Holland as well as the club’s opening weeks of the season, including the first game at QPR on August 5th.

Speaking to Reading’s official website, Head Physiotherapist Jon Urwin said: “Yann underwent successful hip and groin surgery yesterday morning and together we are now looking at a rehabilitation process which will stretch across weeks rather than months.”

Kermorgant is entering the final season of his career, after announcing in March that he will retire in June 2018 after 13 years of playing for the likes of Leicester and Charlton, and he is determined to return as quickly as possible.

The experienced forward said: “Now the surgery is complete I am totally focused on getting fit again.

“I’m ready to work hard and I know the fantastic medical team that we have here at the club will do everything they can to help me get back out there with my teammates as soon as possible.”