Stefanos Tzimas injury situation at FC Nuremberg is causing internal strife at the club, with disagreements over Brighton and Hove Albion’s involvement.
BILD cover the situation today, explaining that Tzimas, who is joining Brighton on a permanent basis in the summer, hasn’t played for the German club since mid-March.
According to their information, the striker suffered minor structural damage to his hamstring muscles earlier this year. It was initially predicted to be a two-to-three-week absence but ended up ending his season.
Miroslav Klose then suggested his absence was being enforced by Brighton, admitting that they were being informed of everything going on with the 19-year-old.
“Brighton has always been involved, has received the pictures, knows everything about the player and our processes. We’re very open about that and we want to be,” he is quoted as saying.
This, though, has seemingly annoyed club boss Joti Chatzialexiou, who now ‘clearly contradicts’ any theories that Brighton have prevented the striker from making a comeback sooner.
“That’s nonsense and not true,” he said.
“With Tzimas, it’s just that he had an injury. I can’t say how bad it is, you can’t say. The fact is, we did everything we could and tried to get him back. But sometimes you don’t get as far as you’d like.
“I know from him that he would have loved to say goodbye to the spectators with a game. He loves playing football too much for that. The idea that there was anything contractually agreed with Brighton is far-fetched. I can definitely deny that.”
What the actual truth is, remains to be seen. Given Brighton own the striker and he’s only on loan at the German club, it would make sense for them to be heavily involved in his recovery.
And given it’s a hamstring injury as well, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Seagulls have been cautious about the striker returning too soon given those types of injuries can go wrong very easily if players are rushed back early.
