Evan Ferguson(Image: Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Evan Ferguson’s hopes of making the World Cup play-offs appear to have faded even further with the news that he has returned again to Brighton for a fresh assessment on his ankle.
The Ireland striker had spent some time with his parent club a fortnight ago, before returning to Roma.
However, reports in several Italian outlets on Thursday say he has flown back to England.
Ferguson has missed Roma’s last six games and is out of Sunday’s trip to Genoa.
It is feared that he will have to undergo surgery to cure a problem that has proved hugely problematic during his spell in Serie A.
That would all but rule him out of this summer’s World Cup, should Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men make it past the play-offs later this month away to Czechia, and at home to either Denmark or North Macedonia.
Meanwhile, the Czechs have a fresh injury concern of their own.
With Lyon attacking midfielder Pavel Sulc already a doubt, they could also lose Bayer Leverkusen star Patrick Schick for the game in Prague against Ireland.
Schick was forced to sit out Wednesday’s game away to Hamburg with a muscle injury, and he is a doubt for this weekend’s game against Wolfsburg.
The scorer of 24 goals in 50 senior caps is being closely monitored by his club’s medics.
Sporting director Simon Rolfes explained: “He noticed something was wrong on Tuesday, so it didn’t make sense to take him to Hamburg. We’ll see what happens in the next two days, I don’t know.”
Czechia coach Miroslav Koubek is busy preparing for his first game in charge, but he could be facing a long injury list.
Hoffenheim forward Adam Hlozek, Slavia Prague winger Lukas Provod and Slavia defender David Doudera are also doubts.
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