Mitoma to miss rest of season

Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma will likely miss the rest of the season due to a back problem, manager Roberto De Zerbi said on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Japan international had missed Brighton's 1-1 home draw against Everton in the Premier League last weekend with the same issue.

Mitoma was also sidelined with an ankle injury in December but was called up to the Japan squad for the Asian Cup, which concluded earlier this month. Japan was knocked out by Iran in the quarterfinals.

Mitoma has three goals and six assists in 26 appearances across all competitions for Brighton this season.

"I think we lost Mitoma until the end of the season," De Zerbi told reporters ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

"It's an important problem. I think two or three months, finished (for) the season."

The Italian said 19-year-old Irish striker Evan Ferguson will miss the game at Molineux through injury. Fellow forward Danny Welbeck also has a problem and will be assessed, while defender Joel Veltman is also ruled out.

Reuters