Brendan Rodgers confirms devastating Wesley Fofana injury diagnosis

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed that defender Wesley Fofana will be sidelined for at least six months after breaking his leg.

Fofana, 20, will have an operation on Monday after suffering a fractured fibula following an horrific tackle by Villarreal forward Fer Nino during a pre-season friendly last Wednesday.

Medics have told the French Under-21 international that he has also suffered damage to his medial ligament and will miss most of the new season.

The Foxes boss confirmed the bad news after Leicester beat Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley to lift the Community Shield in this season's curtain-raising encounter.

Wesley Fofana is set to be out of action until 2022 ( Image:

Leicester City FC via Getty Imag)

Rodgers explained after Saturday's game: "Wesley has his operation on Monday and he won't play until 2022.

"At what point that will be we still have to assess that. But it will be six months or so.

"Wesley's medial ligament has a lot more damage than we'd hoped.

"The scan showed that there is quite substantial damage.

"It's such a shame for us because Wesley is an incredible talent.

"But he's in really good spirits. He will have his operation and be back in the training ground on Thursday or Friday and begin his rehab.

"It's such a shame for the Premier League to not have a talent like him and certainly for us it was a great blow."

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Fofana, a £36.5million signing from French club St Etienne last summer, was outstanding as Leicester won the FA Cup and missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the season.

The central defender's absence will come as a significant blow to the Foxes, who may now opt to strengthen their defensive ranks ahead of the new campaign.

Jonny Evans, 33, has starred for the club in recent seasons but he may not be fully available for an action-packed campaign which will see the club return to European football as they compete in the Europa League.

Another regular in the position, Caglar Soyuncu, partnered Daniel Amartey - who is versatile but is most at home in a midfield role - at the heart of the Foxes defence at Wembley.

Whilst Rodgers's side kept an impressive and deserved clean sheet, their shortage of numbers in the position may prompt them to be proactive in the coming weeks in the transfer market.

Kelechi Iheanacho's late penalty decided the game against his former club, as Ryan Bertrand, Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumare all made their debuts for Leicester.

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