Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has announced that striker George Hirst has undergone knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined for about eight weeks. McKenna also mentioned that no new signings are “imminent,” despite former Brighton player Steven Alzate currently being on trial with the team.
Hirst sustained the injury during a home friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf two weeks ago and was unable to join the squad on their trip to Germany.
“He’s had surgery on his knee, but fortunately, it’s not as severe as it could have been,” McKenna explained after Ipswich concluded their pre-season with a 1-0 home win against OGC Nice. “It was a keyhole surgery, so he’s looking at a recovery period of around eight weeks from the time of the surgery. While it’s disappointing news and a significant loss, the injury was in a part of the knee that could have been more serious. He’s now started his recovery process.”
Regarding potential new signings, McKenna stated that nothing is imminent and remained discreet about Ipswich’s interest in Blackburn forward Sammie Szmodics, while trialist Alzate continues to be assessed by the club. So far, Ipswich has made six signings, with ongoing negotiations for Szmodics, who scored and assisted in Blackburn’s 4-2 Championship opening win over Derby County, continuing for over a month.
When asked if any new signings were close, McKenna responded, “I don’t think there’s anything imminent to update on. The club is working really hard, and so am I, to bring new additions to the squad.”
