Overview
- Club tests after the weekend showed instability at the site of Saelemaekers’ 2024 medial malleolus surgery, and AC Milan have referred him to ankle specialists for further evaluation.
- Milan’s medical staff say a return to the operating theatre is the most likely outcome, a step that would probably result in a long spell out of the squad.
- The setback halts Saelemaekers’ bid to re-establish himself after loan spells at Bologna and Roma, after he had played five times this season for a total of 218 minutes and provided one assist.
- Hours before Saelemaekers’ issue was confirmed, Pervis Estupinan withdrew from Ecuador duty with a collateral medial ligament problem in his left knee, creating immediate depth and tactical concerns on the right side for Milan.
- Milan will wait for specialist reports to set a formal treatment plan and recovery timeline, and the club must now consider short-term cover and squad rotation while the assessment continues.