Tammy Abraham picked up a nasty knee injury on the final Serie A matchday as Roma defeated Spezia 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico to secure Europa League qualification.
Only three days after suffering Europa League heartache against serial winners Sevilla in Budapest, Jose Mourinho’s side secured a place in Europe’s second-tier competition for next season.
Roma bounced back from an early deficit to beat relegation-battling Spezia but had to pay a hefty price, as Abraham suffered a serious-looking injury midway through the second half.
After being taken off the field in tears, the 25-year-old underwent an MRI scan at a local hospital. This confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament injury, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Paulo Dybala’s last-gasp winner helped the Giallorossi win the match and send Juventus to the Europa Conference League. However, Abraham’s injury has left the club’s bid to balance the books in tatters.
The Englishman, who left Chelsea to make room for Romelu Lukaku’s return in 2021, has flourished in Serie A under Mourinho, netting 27 goals in his first season in Rome.
Although his second year in Italy was not as prolific, considering he only scored eight times in 38 league appearances, he remains one of the club’s most valuable assets.
With Roma forced to sell some of their first-team stars to stay within Financial Fair Play rules, Abraham emerged as the likeliest candidate to help the beaten Europa League finalists raise funds.
But as he’s now expected to spend at least four months on the sidelines, the Italians must find another way to generate much-needed profits.
Abraham’s injury could also disrupt Erik ten Hag’s effort to revamp his attacking options at Manchester United after The Athletic reported the Red Devils are interested in the ex-Chelsea frontman.
Impressed with the Englishman’s form in Serie A, ten Hag has been keeping close tabs on the sporadic England international amid his pursuit of a new out-and-out striker.
However, United will have to focus on other targets, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane remaining the club’s dream signing.
