New York Red Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett has revealed that Ghana defender Gideon Baah has been ruled out of action throughout the 2017 season after failing to recover from a leg injury picked up in July last year.
The 25-year-old broke his tibia while playing against Portland Timbers and was initially reported to be sidelined for five months.
Although, he resumed training before the start of the new MLS season, his recovery took another turn after he complained of pains during rehabilitation.
“We have made the decision [to leave Gideon Baah out of our squad] that we think is the best,” Hamlett told the club’s website.
“This lets him focus on rehab with our medical staff. Our primary goal is making sure he has the time and resources to return to 100 per cent health,” he added.
Head coach Jesse Marsch told MSG that the club is sympathetic towards Baah but are planning for his replacement since he can’t play a part in their campaign.
“It’s a strange kind of injury and one he’s been through before. It’s tough, it’s a tough moment for Gideon,” Marsch said.
“And that’s the thing that makes it tough for all of us, trying to get through this but do it in a way where we’re very supportive and give him the best chance to ultimately get back to being a professional.
“That’s probably the one more piece that we need to supplement that position. So we’ll see. Right now, [sporting director Denis Hamlett] and our scouts are evaluating what might be next in that spot. Yeah, a lot of work is being put into that,” he added.
Baah suffered a similar injury in 2010, while playing for Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko and spent more than a year in the treatment room.
