England have been hit with another significant injury blow after the Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway suffered a lateral collateral ligament knee injury that will keep her out for “several months”, her club have said.
Bayern Munich confirmed on Thursday that the 26-year-old has undergone an operation on her right knee. It is not yet clear whether Stanway will be fit to return before the end of the season, nor if the injury will rule her out of July’s European Championship in Switzerland.
The news comes at a time when several other integral members of the Lionesses squad are sidelined with knee injuries, including the Manchester City winger Lauren Hemp, who it is hoped will play again soon, and more severely the Manchester City centre-back Alex Greenwood, whose return date is unknown. Greenwood underwent surgery on a medial collateral ligament injury in December.
Stanway has been one of the Lionesses’ most regular starters throughout Sarina Wiegman’s tenure and was an important part of the side that won the Euros in 2022 and again was in the core of the team that reached the 2023 World Cup final. Her injury will be worrying news for Wiegman, as she tries to prepare her side to defend their European title this summer.
Her injury is also a blow to Bayern’s hopes in the Women’s Champions League. The German side have reached the quarter-finals, the draw for which takes place on 7 February.
“FC Bayern Women midfielder Georgia Stanway suffered a lateral collateral ligament tear in her right knee in training at the start of the week. The 26-year-old England international had an operation on Wednesday and will now be out for several months,” the club said.
The former Blackburn and Manchester City player has been with Bayern Munich since 2022 and has a contract with the club until 2026.
