Jesse Marsch has revealed Leeds United under-21s goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel was involved in a car accident while on international duty over the summer. The Netherlands youth international was with his country's under-20s at the end of last season when he had the accident, leaving him with a severe neck injury and fractured vertebrae.
As a result, the 19-year-old hasn’t been seen in training with the Whites this summer, but Marsch has revealed the keeper has returned to Thorp Arch to go through his rehabilitation process. The head coach is pleased to report van den Heuvel is making good progress, too, as he looks to make a playing return in a couple of months’ time.
“I’m not sure if anybody heard about Dani van den Heuvel,” Marsch said during his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League opener against Wolves. “He had a car accident with the under-20s in Holland.
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“There was a pretty severe neck injury and he broke some vertebrae. We were really worried about him, not even as a football injury but as a life situation but he’s showing really good progress and he’s back in the gym.
“We’ll be ramping him up over time but it’s probably a couple of months before he’ll be eligible to be training and be ready to go.”
Marsch revealed the news as the club’s under-21s prepare to get their Premier League 2 Division 2 season underway on Friday night with a trip to Pride Park to take on their Derby County counterparts. Harry Christy, who was included in the squad that travelled to Australia this summer, is expected to start between the sticks for Michael Skubala’s side.
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