Aston Villa will reportedly be without Boubacar Kamara for at least a month due to the ankle injury he suffered against Crystal Palace.
The 23-year-old has been an influential figure for us this season, making 21 appearance across all competitions and establishing himself as a pivotal piece in Unai Emery’s side.
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However, following an awful challenge from Cheick Doucoure on Saturday, the Frenchman was forced off with an injury and there was real initial concern given his immediate reaction in signalling to the bench and having to be carried off the pitch without putting any pressure on his injured ankle.
As per The Athletic, Kamara is now expected to be sidelined for at least a month with what is reported as an ankle injury, albeit there has been no official line from Villa as of yet, but it was confirmed in the post-match press conference by Emery and his assistant that the French midfielder would undergo further tests on Sunday.
Based on the report above, it appears as though those tests have delivered bad news in that he will now face a spell out, which will undoubtedly rule him out of facing West Ham and Bournemouth prior to the international break, and perhaps the Chelsea, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest fixtures after.
Our encounter with Newcastle Utd on April 15 could arguably be a potential target return date based on the touted timeline, but naturally much will depend on the rehabilitation and how well the injury heals with treatment.
It will no doubt be difficult to replace and replicate what Kamara offers in the Villa midfield, but Emery will now have to assess his options and solutions and find the best fit.
Calum Chambers came on to help us see out the game this past weekend, and if he can provide a defensive shield in front of the backline efficiently, he could establish an important balance with Douglas Luiz in our midfield, with the Brazilian given more freedom to dictate and push forward.
However, time will tell if that’s the choice Emery goes with, as Leander Dendoncker will hopefully be available again after missing out on Saturday due to personal reasons, while shifting John McGinn inside could be another option.
Given how well he has settled into his new role on the right side of midfield though, to shackle him and limit his attacking influence again in a deeper role would be a shame, and so that could potentially rule out that solution.
