Manchester City midfielder receives ‘two to three week’ diagnosis on quad injury – set to miss Liverpool and Tottenham meetings

Mateo Kovacic has received a significant development around the injury that forced a withdrawal from international action with Croatia last week.

The summer signing is understood to have sustained a problem during the closing exchanges of the dramatic 4-4 draw with Chelsea in the final game before the ongoing international break, despite having only featured for the closing moments from the substitute’s bench.

Kovacic became one of three Manchester City first-team stars to withdraw from international commitments in the immediate aftermath of the Stamford Bridge showdown, joining Nathan Ake and Ederson to exit from their respective call-ups.

While some believe that a number of injuries could be only short-term, and as such see names return in time for this weekend’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, a new update has shone light on a more serious problem concerning Mateo Kovacic.

That is according to the information of The Athletic’s Sam Lee, who states that Manchester City’s Croatian midfielder is ‘likely’ to miss ‘two to three weeks’ of action after suffering a recurrence of a quad injury.

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said Mateo Kovacic “felt a muscle,” and that the 29-year-old had stayed in Manchester for a check-up. Lee reports that City expect to know the full extent of Kovacic’s injury this week.

Mateo Kovacic has joined a number of other Manchester City midfielders on the treatment table, with Kevin De Bruyne continuing his recovery from a hamstring problem that resulted in surgery during the summer months.

The Belgium international could make a return to full first-team training in the coming weeks, with a view towards returning to competitive match action in late December or early in the new calendar year when Manchester City travel to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Matheus Nunes’ fitness problem is yet to be fully-assessed by Manchester City medical staff, however the Portugal international’s early exit from international commitments gives the club more time to work on the summer recruit ahead of the return to duties this weekend.

Rodri also made a largely unexpected return for Spain just days after missing out on action due to a lack of fitness, by starting and starring in his nation’s 3-1 European Championship qualification victory over Georgia.