Igor Vetokele has had some rotten luck this term.
Having returned from a loan stint in Belgium the striker was eager to impress after deciding to stay and fight for his place at The Valley.
“I’d been away for two seasons and I really wanted to come back and help Charlton to get back to where it belongs,” said the Angolan upon returning to the club he signed for in 2014.
READ: Charlton v AFC Wimbledon: What to expect
But no longer was he back in pre-season, injury struck and he was ruled out until the early part of the league campaign.
“It’s disappointing because he’s had a great start to the pre-season. He’s going to be a miss, he’s a good player,” said Lee Bowyer knowing that Vetekole would’ve added stiff competition to Karlan Grant and Lyle Taylor in the striking department.
He returned down the pecking order and had to impress from the bench when called upon. He looked like he’d found his goal-scoring touch with a brace in the 8-0 Checkatrade Trophy win at Stevenage. Speaking of reaching his form that saw him score eight goals in his early Charlton career he said:
“I can reach it but it is all about momentum. Everything needs to be right for me to get back to that level and I am really trying and doing my best to get back to it. Hopefully I can.
“Lyle and Karlan are doing really well now and, at the moment, I am a back-up. I have to show what I can do in the minutes that I do get."
No sooner that it looked like Vetekole was forcing his way back in to Bowyer’s plans, injury struck again. A rare start in the league against Luton in early November, the Angolan lasted 34minutes before being stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder.
3 weeks post surgery 🔧
— Igor Vetokele (@IgorVetokele) December 5, 2018
The long road of recovery has started and luckily I have my loved ones that are always by my side pushing me ❤️@sarah77s https://t.co/orUeh8akVr
Having gone under the knife on December 5th the striker now starts his rehabilitation. He is expected to be back at the end of January according to the club website.
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