Shropshire Star

Aston Villa's Alex Moreno facing fitness battle for next season following hamstring surgery

Villa defender Alex Moreno is facing a battle to be fit for the start of next season after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury.

Published

The 29-year-old, the first signing made by Unai Emery, is expected to be out for an extended period after suffering a serious hamstring injury in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

Villa are hopeful he will be ready to return prior to the new campaign kicking off in August but the Spaniard is certain to miss the start of pre-season.

Moreno has been a key figure in the club’s climb up the Premier League during the second half of the season, after arriving in a £13million January move from Real Betis.

Lucas Digne, who replaced Moreno in the starting line-up at Anfield, is in line to start Sunday’s season finale against Brighton, where Villa need a win to secure a place in next season’s European Conference League.