Former Aston Villa captain Ron Vlaar is out four months after knee surgery, seriously hurting his chances of finding a club before the start of the season.
Vlaar, currently a free agent after leaving Villa Park, has a torn medial meniscus - the same issue he had surgery for in January - meaning the surgery this time around was much more complicated, leaving him with no option but remain on the sidelines for longer this time around.
“After a heavy season with many injuries I was confident the injuries were gone,” Vlaar wrote in a post about his health.
“Part of being a professional athlete is learning how to deal with setbacks in your career, and having the mentality to come back stronger. I have faced tougher situations in my life and always managed to overcome them.”
Vlaar said he was on a trip to India for an ambassadorial trip when he felt his knee wasn’t right. The Dutchman had surgery in Rotterdam on Wednesday.
Now 30 years old, Vlaar appeared in just 20 Premier League matches for Villa last season due to various injuries such as a pair of calf injuries and his initial meniscus tear. He decided to leave Villa this offseason after three years there, moving from Feyenoord in the summer of 2012. Vlaar said in his release that he hopes to play for five more years for both club and country.
