CHESTER, Pa.—Maurice Edu’s star-crossed season just got even worse.
With the opportunity to finally make his season debut in the final game of the 2016 campaign, against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, the Philadelphia Union captain broke his left fibula during practice Saturday, a source confirmed to MLSsoccer.com.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marc Narducci first reported the news that Edu would miss the remainder of the season with the new injury.
Edu had been rehabbing a stress fracture throughout the season, returning to the training field in July and making three September rehab appearances with USL affiliate Bethlehem Steel FC.
But Union head coach Jim Curtin had been cautious in giving Edu first-team minutes, in part because Brian Carroll and Warren Creavalle had played well.
Edu, whose last game with the Union came in last year’s US Open Cup final loss to Sporting Kansas City on September 30, also dealt with a partially torn groin at the end of the 2015 season. The stress fracture that followed kept him out of a possible appearance with the US national team last winter.
During 2014 and 2015 — his first two years back in MLS after stints with Rangers FC and Stoke City — Edu was one of the Philly’s top players, filling in at center back in both seasons when the team needed defensive reinforcements.
The Union captain had been working to return to the midfield — his preferred position — but it’s uncertain what is on the horizon for 2017.
