Jozy Altidore will miss at least the next four weeks of the Major League Soccer season, Toronto FC have confirmed.
In a statement on their website on Tuesday, TFC said that the injury Altidore suffered in their 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday was “a hamstring strain” and that the 24-year-old would be missing for 4-5 weeks.
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Altidore has scored six goals and added one assist in his first nine appearances for Toronto since arriving as a Designated Player in January from Premier League side Sunderland.
The injury to his right hamstring will come as a big blow to both his club and country, as Altidore is likely to be a key part of the U.S. national team’s Gold Cup squad for the tournament which kicks off on July 7.
A similar injury ruled Altidore out of most of the 2014 World Cup as the New Jersey born striker pulled up with a left hamstring strain in the first half of the USA’s opening Group G game against Ghana in Brazil. That ruled Altidore out of the rest of the tournament and now a similar issue will keep him out until the end of June at the earliest.
The big concern for Jurgen Klinsmann and the U.S. national team will be that even if Altidore has recovered from his hamstring strain, the target forward may not be up to full fitness ahead of the Gold Cup.
Altidore’s absence for the next month or so will be a big blow for both club and country.
