Luke Ayling took to social media in order tell Leeds United fans that he hoped to be back sooner than medics have predicted after being ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Whites confirmed via their official website on Tuesday that the right-back was set to miss the rest of the season following surgery on an ankle injury.
Ayling revealed on Twitter it wasn’t what “any of us” wanted but that did he appreciate the messages he was receiving from fans regarding the set-back and offered hope that he could play again this season in what would be a massive boost to Leeds.
Not what any of us wanted… ankle wasn’t as good as we all first thought… now time to rest, recover and hopefully get back sooner then they think.. thank you all for your messages means a lot #not
— Luke Ayling (@lukeayling_8) January 10, 2018
The defender sustained the ankle injury in the draw against Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day.
This season the 26-year-old defender has been a key factor behind Leeds sitting in the play-off places, having made 26 league appearances this season.
OPINION
While the defender has posted a hopeful message about aiming to get back before the end of season, fans should prepare for the worst. Losing Ayling to injury is a huge blow to Leeds’ promotion chances, as he has regularly been putting in good performance this season. The news is still a disappointment despite the Whites having a replacement ready to go in Gaetano Berardi. The Swiss defender has put in some questionable performances this season, which could be down to him playing on the left, but it’s hard to tell if that’s the reason, until his consistently plays on the right. Hopefully Berardi steps up to the challenge of replacing Ayling and has an impressive second-half of the season.