Medical expert: Andros Townsend may not fully recover for two seasons after Everton latest
It could be “2023-24” before Everton star Andros Townsend returns to pre-injury levels.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Townsend, 30, broke down off the ball with a knee issue in the Toffees’ 4-0 FA Cup defeat to his old side Crystal Palace on 20 March.
The club later confirmed that the wide man had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and would miss the rest of the season.
It was announced last Wednesday (23 March) that he would undergo surgery this week before he begins the next phase of his rehabilitation.
Dinnery explained that Townsend could be out for up to nine months and that it will take him even longer to reach peak output.
“Whether a surgery has been successful or not comes down to the definition of success,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“Is success a full return to play and pre-injury levels? If so, we won’t know for up to nine months, maybe even longer.
“Surgeons these days are well-versed in carrying out these procedures. There are very, very high success rates.
“In terms of the injury, I’d be fairly confident that it will all go as planned. But it will be several months before we know how Townsend has responded.
“It could be early 2023 before we see him back in contention. Then it might even be 2023-24 before we see him back to his pre-injury levels.”
Towsend arrived at Goodison Park as a free agent in July last year following the expiry of his Palace deal.
He registered seven goals and four assists in 27 appearances this term.
In other news, Everton board slammed by expert after “huge” £600m reveal.