Aston Villa's new signing Leon Goretzka will be unavailable until at least after the upcoming international break due to an injury. The midfielder, who joined the club on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, announced the setback on his social media channels.
Goretzka cited that his body reacted to an increased workload following his time away from regular competition. "It's frustrating, but I need this short break now to come back at full strength," he stated. "I'll use the coming days, including the international break, to recover fully."
The injury means Goretzka's debut for Aston Villa will be delayed by at least a month, impacting the team as they prepare to begin their Champions League campaign. Villa is scheduled to face Club Brugge in Belgium on Tuesday.
Manager Unai Emery acknowledged the setback but expressed confidence in his squad's depth. "Goretzka's issue is a bit frustrating, but we have players who can replace him," Emery said. "When he's coming back, hopefully he can get the consistency in training and playing and we can add his experience. He is a player who will help us in different competitions with the level he has."
The club has seen a significant turnover of players in the current season. Six players who were part of the squad that won the Europa League last season have been sold, including Emi Martinez, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, and Ollie Watkins. Aston Villa has yet to win or score in the Premier League this season, and Emery hopes a return to European competition will spur a change in fortune.