Man Utd goalkeeper Radek Vitek is enjoying an impressive season on loan in the Championship but there had been fears his season was over after picking up a knee injury.
Radek Vitek has injured a knee while on loan at Bristol City
Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek has had his injury fears eased after undergoing a small operation on his knee that will only see him miss around eight weeks of action. The 22-year-old is enjoying an excellent season on loan at Bristol City in the Championship but he missed Saturday’s win over Middlesbrough with an injury and there were fears he could be set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
But the Czech Republic youth international is due to back in action in February and rather than returning to United for treatment, he will remain with the Robins with a view to being back in Gerhard Struber’s side for what could be a play-off push in the second half of the season.
A club statement said: “Bristol City can confirm Radek Vítek has had a small procedure on his knee. We expect the Manchester United loanee to be available in February. He will complete his rehabilitation at Bristol City.”
Vitek has registered seven clean sheets in 21 games in the Championship and speaking before the game against Boro, Struber stressed how much the United loanee was enjoying his time at Ashton Gate. “This was a wrong step,” he said. “When you see it, you would not [have] realised something had gone on. This was nothing. Sometimes you cannot describe everything, so this is football.
“He loves to play for this club. He loves to play in this team. He knows, and he is really grateful, about the last few months, how he has grown with his football time and game time. Now we realise the injury, this is football, and you have to be also clear in these moments and hopefully find on Monday the right next step.”
Vitek is yet to make his senior debut for United since joining the club from Sigma Olomouc as a 16-year-old in July 2020, but he has made more than 50 appearances for the Under-21s and Under-18s. He has also had productive loan spells with Accrington Stanley and Blau-Weiss Linz in Austria before stepping up to the Championship this season.