Victor Lindelof has withdrawn from the Sweden squad due to a 'recurrent' injury.
The defender’s miserable season with Manchester United was compounded by his country’s World Cup play-off final defeat to Poland in March. The 27-year-old was named in Sweden’s upcoming Nations League fixtures with Norway, Serbia and Slovenia.
However, the captain has now pulled out of the squad due to a “serious” knock which plagued him towards the end of the season while at United. The nature of the problem has not been disclosed.
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National team head coach Janne Andersson described Lindelof’s withdrawal as a big blow. Speaking in Monday’s press conference, as per Expressen, he said: “Victor Nilsson Lindelöf has resigned due to recurring injury problems that he has had in his club team and needs to rest and heal it in a good way that he can hopefully do.
“He has had serious problems at the end, which is why he has resigned. Lindelöf is our team captain. Victor has been important to us and never disappointed me.”
Lindelof had a stop-start season with United this term. He missed ten days in December after suffering chest pains against Norwich before a positive COVID-19 test and illness ruled him out for a total of four games at the turn of the new year.
The defender played 35 games in all competitions this campaign, filling in for an often-injured Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire when he was unavailable. Erik ten Hag is eager to bring in a new centre-half this summer.
He is considered third choice behind both Varane and Maguire. Acquisitions will push Lindelof further down the pecking order and limit his game time, which may lead him to consider a move elsewhere.
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