BRIAN SCIARETTA - Friday, July 4, 2014
With the U.S. national team now out of the 2014 World Cup, forward Aron Johannsson will now undergo ankle surgery.
American Soccer Now first had the information on Thursday. On Friday, AZ Alkmaar released the following statement on Johannsson giving an estimated timeline for his return.
"He does need ankle surgery somewhere this month and will be out for 6-8 weeks," AZ press officer Daan Schnippers said in an e-mail statement to YA.
When asked about when the Icelandic-American forward was injured, Schippers added: "Since he is not at the club I cannot inform you when he was injured."
Should the 6-8 week time-frame hold, it would jeopardize Johannsson's involvement in the U.S. national team's first post-world cup friendly on September 3 against the Czech Republic.
Johannsson is coming off a breakout season in AZ Alkmaar in 2013/14 where he scored 26 goals in all competitions. In may he signed a four year extension with the Eredivisie club which will now be coached by the legendary Dutch striker and former national team coach Marco van Basten.