Brighton and Hove Albion youngster Julio Enciso has personally insisted he is not injured but being kept out this weekend as a precaution instead.
The midfielder has been speaking to ABC Cardinal 730 AM, relayed by RCC, about his situation in an attempt to quash any rumours about his fitness.
Enciso has barely featured for Brighton this season after enjoying something of a break out year last season with the Seagulls.
He’s only managed seven appearances in the Premier League to date and featured in just 8% of the available minutes, while he has just ten appearances and 352 minutes of action in total across all competitions.
He’s spent most of the season out thanks to a meniscus tear suffered all the way back in August and despite returning from that in February has only featured for Brighton intermittently since.
Reports this week indicated that he may be injured once again and so out of action this weekend, although a report yesterday moved to quell that idea.
Now the player has moved to do so as well, insisting all that is well and his absence from Brighton’s squad is because of fluid in his knee, something that has stopped him training as normal and led Roberto de Zerbi to decide not to take any risks.
“The out-of-character things that are said hurt me and even more because they are from my own compatriots,” he said.
“Playing here is not easy because of the high competition, I am taking great care of myself and that is why I feel sorry for what they say about me because it is not true.
“I am always available for the National Team. I want to be in the Copa América and then focus on the Olympic Games if the coach calls me.”
