Medical expert: Ki-Jana Hoever’s season may be over amid Wolves ‘tension’ behind the scenes
Wolves star Ki-Jana Hoever will be “lucky to start another game” this term amid injury concerns and “tension” between him and Bruno Lage.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Hoever, 20, has been sidelined since he sustained a hamstring strain in Wolves’ 2–0 defeat to Crystal Palace on 5 March.
Lage suggested after the match that a lack of preparation had led directly to the Dutch right-back’s setback.
Per club media last Wednesday (23 March), Lage said simply: “He continues to rehabilitate with the medical team and is progressing as expected.”
Dinnery suggests that the Portuguese manager’s blunt comments might mean Hoever will not get a shot at redemption this season.
“The initial timeline had him about the six to eight-week mark,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“That probably puts him towards the end of April for a return, possibly.
“But we’re looking at Bruno Lage’s comments. Maybe there is some sort of tension going on there.
“It remains to be seen whether he can force himself back into first-team contention between now and the end of the season.
“We have seen Jonny come off the back of that long-term knee injury. Those minutes in his legs will stand him in good stead.
“He is ultimately first choice, so it may be that Hoever may be lucky to start another match this season.”
Jonny Castro Otto has started Wolves’ last four matches after returning from a nine-month knee injury earlier this year.
Hoever has supplied one assist in 10 appearances this season.
In other news, Gabby Agbonlahor slaughters big-name Wolves trio as finger pointed at Conor Coady