Former Pompey favourite ruled out until 2025 to hand Southampton promotion blow

Former Pompey favourite Gavin Bazunu has been ruled out of action until 2025.

That’s after the keeper ruptured his Achilles tendon in the warm-up ahead of Southampton’s Championship game against Preston North End on Tuesday night.

The unfortunate 22-year-old, who won the Players’ Player of the Year award during his solitary season at Fratton Park in 2021-22, had surgery on the injury on Thursday. He’s now anticipated to be out for around nine to 10 months.

Bazunu, who joined Saints from Manchester City for a reported £12m immediately after his loan spell at Pompey, had made 44 appearances for the St Mary’s outfit this season, keeping 11 clean sheets. The Republic of Ireland international will play no further part in Southampton’s push for a return to the Premier League, with the Blues’ rivals currently fourth in the Championship table. 

Saints boss Russell Martin told the Daily Echo that Bazunu ‘wasn’t in a good place’ before his operation. However, he insisted the players would rally round the keeper.

Martin said: ‘Gavin had an operation on Thursday and it was as bad as we feared. He's going to be out for around nine to 10 months as he has ruptured his Achilles.

‘I spoke to Gavin last night. He's got all his family over from Ireland and they're here to support him and the medical team here. How quickly we managed to get everything done and the operation done is really fantastic.

‘I spoke to him before the operation and he wasn't in a good place, which you can imagine and expect after hearing such bad news. But already last night, he was way more positive. It might be the anaesthetic. We'll rally round and he'll be in on Monday to come and see the guys.

‘Our biggest thing with Gav will be to try and slow him down. He will just want to attack everything and hit it head on, so we are really devastated for Gav. He's a brilliant young man.

‘He's already a seriously strong young man and resilient young man and him being out gives other people opportunities. The guys in the dressing room will certainly rally round, I know they would have already, and we look forward to seeing him on Monday.’

Bazunu  made 46 appearances for Pompey. We wish him well with his recovery.