The Portland Timbers were dealt a serious blow Tuesday when the club announced that center back Gbenga Arokoyo will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
Arokoyo suffered the injury during training Monday.
A 24-year-old Nigerian international, Arokoyo signed with Portland last August, but suffered a groin injury with Timbers 2 in USL and made just one MLS appearance with the club. He was expected to be a major contributor alongside fellow center back Liam Ridgewell on Portland’s backline this year.
The Timbers now have just four healthy center backs on their roster in Ridgewell, Amobi Okugo, Rennico Clarke and Roy Miller, who won’t join Portland from Costa Rican club Saprissa until the end of February.
