Justin Diehl faces lengthy spell on sidelines

VfB Stuttgart have been dealt another setback after German-Ghanaian forward Justin Diehl suffered a fresh injury during training, ruling the promising youngster out for an extended period.

The club confirmed on Wednesday that the 21-year-old has sustained a muscle injury to the front of his thigh during a team session and will be sidelined at least until the international break at the end of September, ruling him out of the opening phase of the season.

For Diehl, it is another bitter blow in a career already disrupted by fitness problems. Last season he featured mainly for Stuttgart’s U21s in the 3. Liga, where he contributed three goals and four assists in 21 appearances to help secure survival, underlining his potential whenever he managed to stay fit.

The latest injury also throws his medium-term future into uncertainty. In recent weeks there had been speculation about a loan move to give him regular first-team minutes, but such a switch now appears unlikely in the short term given his longer absence.

Stuttgart will instead focus on his rehabilitation, hoping that a carefully managed return can finally give the talented winger a more stable platform to kick on once he recovers.