Ipswich Town defender Axel Tuanzebe almost lost his thumb in a freak accident at his home last week.
The incident forced the 26-year-old out of Ipswich’s 4-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday with boss Kieran McKenna revealing the defender has undergone an operation on his hand.
Axel Tuanzebe was the unfortunate recipient of a freak hand injuryGetty
According to MailSport, the accident occurred when a glass smashed whilst Tuanzebe was washing the dishes.
One of the shards sliced Tuanzebe’s hand causing him to seek immediate medical attention.
The report states that at the time of the accident, there were concerns that Tuanzebe could have lost his thumb.
Luckily for the former Manchester United academy graduate, medics were able to patch him up following surgery,
Asked about Tuanzebe’s absence on Saturday, McKenna explained: “He’s done a hand injury, a very unfortunate accident.
“He’s had surgery and will be out for a while. It’s not going to be a couple of weeks, probably longer. There are still discussions with the specialists.
“He’s naturally a miss with the way he’s started the season. He’s going to be out for a little while.”
Prior to Saturday’s defeat, Tuanzebe had started all six of Ipswich’s Premier League games this season.
The DR Congo international was without a club when Ipswich picked him up on a free transfer in September 2023.
He was handed an initial one-year deal and after quickly impressing at Portman Road, Tuanzebe was tied down for an additional 12 months.
Kieran McKenna expects to be without Tuanzebe for a ‘little while’Getty
The defender began his career at Manchester United before loan spells at Aston Villa, Napoli and StokeGetty
He played a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season and despite an influx of new faces this summer, he has held down his place in the team.
Tuanzebe is not the first player to have been sidelined by a freak non-football related accident.
Former Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright once injured his foot putting suitcases into his loft at home.
Former Wimbledon goalkeeper Dave Beasant missed two months of action after he dropped a bottle of salad cream on his foot, causing him to tear a tendon in his big toe.
Meanwhile, former Spain goalkeeper was forced to miss the 2002 World Cup after smashing a bottle of aftershave in the sink which resulted in a shard of glass landing on the floor, causing a laceration to his foot.
