Wijnaldum breaks leg in training as ex-Liverpool star faces anxious wait

Former Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum is facing a spell on the sidelines, with Roma announcing the Dutch international has fractured his leg in training.

The midfielder only joined the Giallorossi this summer, completing a loan arrival from Paris Saint-Germain after going to great lengths to get the deal over the line. He made his debut from the bench in a victory against Salernitana last weekend, but faces an agonising wait to discover how long he will be on the sidelines.

He won't be involved on Monday, with Jose Mourinho's side playing host to newly promoted Cremonese. And Roma have provided an update on the player, who had been hopeful of turning out for the Netherlands at the upcoming World Cup.

"Following an injury sustained during training this afternoon, Georginio Wijnaldum subsequently underwent medical tests that confirmed the presence of a fracture to the tibia in his right leg," a Roma statement read. "The player will undergo further assessments in the coming days. FORZA GINI!"

It is frustrating timing for the 31-year-old. Wijnaldum struggled for minutes at PSG last season after joining the club from Liverpool, starting just 18 times in Ligue 1.

The injury could also put his involvement at the upcoming World Cup in doubt. Wijnaldum played for the Netherlands at the 2014 tournament, and also captained his country at Euro 2020 after the Oranje failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

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Mourinho's press conference ahead of the Cremonese game arrived before news of Wijnaldum's injury was made public. However, the manager still had time to praise another midfielder, Nicolo Zanilo, who was linked with a Premier League move earlier in the transfer window.

"Zaniolo looks very sharp and physically agile, as it's not easy for a player like him to maintain that intensity for 90 minutes," the manager said, as translated by Football Italia. "He deserves the credit for training hard and having the right motivation.

"If he remains or not, that's a question for the director, not for me. If you ask me, I'd love him to remain, obviously. He is an important player for us, a key piece of the puzzle to bring together all the characteristics of our players."

Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs linked with Zaniolo, with Antonio Conte thought to be a fan. The Italian scored the winning goal in May's Europa Conference League final as Roma beat Feyenoord, and Spurs reportedly opened fresh talks earlier this month with a view to taking the 23-year-old to north London this summer.