English club Crystal Palace suffered a painful blow as their Moroccan defender Chadi Riad sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Chadi Riad
Club: Crystal Palace
Joel Ordonez
Club: Club Brugge
The Moroccan international was injured during the first round of the Premier League in Saturday's 2-0 loss against Everton.
According to England's Sky Sports network, Chadi's injury adds fresh pain, as he has been absent for 430 days due to knee injuries since joining Crystal Palace.
The report indicated that Palace began considering signing Ecuadorian Joel Ordonez from Belgian club Club Brugge to strengthen their defense.
The player has received the green light to undergo a medical examination.
The Ecuadorian defender is expected to join on loan until the end of the season with a mandatory purchase obligation worth £24 million.
Since joining Palace in 2024, Riad has played only 16 matches across all competitions.
Chadi, who previously played for Barcelona and Real Betis in Spain, won the Europa League, Community Shield, and FA Cup with Palace over the last two seasons.
Meanwhile, Ordonez, the 22-year-old Ecuadorian player, contributed to Club Brugge winning four titles since joining the Belgian team in 2023.
Crystal Palace is preparing to face Manchester City tonight, Friday, in the opening match of the second round of the Premier League.
