VICTORIA – Pacific FC announced Friday that defender Marcel de Jong has undergone successful surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, with the left fullback suffering the injury during a pre-season training session on Wednesday.
De Jong, 32, was signed by the Vancouver Island-based outfit last month and was slated to play a large role in head coach Michael Silberbauer’s team for the inaugural Canadian Premier League season.
The club’s director of sports science Randy Celebrini did not offer a definitive timeframe for recovery, stating that “Recovery time is variable for this type of injury,” adding: “(De Jong) will likely not return to play this season.”
The Canadian international has previously dealt with a minor Achilles tendon problem in 2014 but has not had a recurring issue since that time.
More details to come.