U.S. men’s national team fans hoping to catch Tyler Adams’ debut for Bournemouth may need to wait a bit longer than they had hoped.
Adams joined the Cherries earlier this month, but has been unavailable since March after suffering a hamstring injury with Leeds.
Per his new manager Andoni Iraola, Adams’ recovery still requires more time
“They both need time,” Iraola told reporters when asked about Adams and fellow acquisition Alex Scott. “Alex will spend more time out.”
It’s a bit of good news/bad news for Adams. While the USMNT captain is closer to a return than Scott (who suffered a knee injury early in August), Iraola said “neither of them are close to playing.”
Before Adams made his move, Leeds manager Daniel Farke had said that his club expected the midfielder to remain out until the conclusion of the September international window.
Iraola didn’t commit to a specific return date, acknowledging that Adams is recovering from a surgical procedure on the injury, and will have to build back up physically and mentally.
“We don’t know. I hope it’s as soon as we can, but he’s a player that I don’t think has played since March,” added Iraola. “He’s coming back from surgery with difficult situations during this period, so we cannot rush it. We have to make sure that he also feels safe.”
Iraola: Adams ‘will bring us a lot of energy’
While Adams’ Bournemouth debut may be some way off, Iraola seemed clear on what the 24-year-old will bring to the table once he’s fully recovered.
“I think he will bring us a lot of energy. I think he’s a very dynamic player,” said Iraola. “Playing as a six, he will help us with the ball and without the ball. He’s a young player but with enough experience to be one of the players on the pitch that are pushing for the team.”
That might explain why Bournemouth pursued Adams so diligently, finally completing a transfer this summer after some typical Chelsea chaos saw the Blues make an abrupt U-turn after reports said the club would trigger Adams’ release clause.
Adams drew intense interest from numerous Premier League clubs following Leeds’ relegation last season, eventually ending up with Bournemouth in a reported $25.4 million transfer.
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