Swansea City were dealt a blow in their quest for Premier League survival with the news that defender, Angel Rangel could be forced to miss the rest of the season due to a broken foot.
The club website confirmed the injury news, stating that after a scan it was official that he had broken his right foot. On the injury, Rangel claimed he was "absolutely gutted" to suffer what he claimed to be a "big setback" but assured fans that he would be back and that he would "come back stronger" whenever he returns.
Change of plans
The Spaniard limped off during the 2-1 defeat to Hull City on Saturday where he suffered a metatarsal injury, causing an injury that could last around eight to 12 weeks. It is less than ideal for the Welsh outfit as the long-serving right back is a regular starter in the Swansea City team, meaning there will need to be a big change in the back four, starting this coming weekend.
With Rangel now out, the club will be hoping that fellow right-back, Kyle Naughton, will be making his return to training at some point this week after missing the fixture against Hull due to a slight hamstring problem. It is now the hope he will be back in time for the weekends match with Bournemouth where he will likely claim a starting 11 place, which should be his for the rest of the season should he perform.
It is not an ideal situation for Swansea who is in need of a consistent defence in order to ensure they are able to survive this season. Losing Rangel doesn't just weaken the starting line-up of the Welsh side, but it also takes out some experience in the back four which will also play a factor, and the Spaniard will certainly be playing a role behind the scenes as the season draws to a close.