Portsmouth winger Luke Brooke-Smith faces surgery and a potential season-ending absence after suffering a severe ankle dislocation during a training session, the club has confirmed.
The extent of the injury
Manager John Mousinho described the damage as significant, confirming the 18-year-old sustained a dislocated ankle, a fractured fibula and what he called "significant ligament damage" in what he labelled a freak training-ground incident.
"It's a really unfortunate one, he's suffered a severe ankle dislocation," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent. "Off the back of that, there is a fracture on his fibula and significant ligament damage. It was dealt with really well by everyone at the training ground and he was taken to QA [Queen Alexandra Hospital] before being discharged."
Medical staff will allow the injury to settle over the coming days before Brooke-Smith goes under the knife. "We're going to leave it to settle for a couple of days, but he will go in for surgery after that," Mousinho added.
A blow arriving at the worst time
Brooke-Smith only arrived at Fratton Park over the summer on a permanent deal from New Zealand side Wellington Phoenix, and had begun to build his Championship minutes, making four appearances this campaign. He started one league match and came off the bench in his remaining outings, suggesting Mousinho was beginning to work him into plans for the second tier.
That pathway now closes, at least for this season. Portsmouth already carry a stretched squad into what the club has publicly acknowledged is a demanding fixture run, and the loss of a winger who arrived with considerable promise deepens the challenge Mousinho faces in keeping his options wide on the flanks.
Brooke-Smith responds
The teenager addressed supporters directly on social media. "No words with how I'm feeling right now," he wrote on Instagram. "A freak incident in training causing me to dislocate my ankle, break fibula and potential ligament damage. As I don't know the severity yet I'm trying my best to stay positive in a really hard time for me. I will work my hardest to get back out on the pitch to play for this amazing club."
Brooke-Smith also thanked staff and team-mates for their support in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
What this means for Pompey
Portsmouth's squad management has already been under scrutiny heading into a congested run of fixtures, and this injury removes a player who gave Mousinho a different option wide. The winger's youth and the stage of the season mean there is no quick fix: a surgical recovery and the rehabilitation that follows typically runs into several months, making a return before the summer an optimistic rather than realistic target.
The club will need to decide whether to address the gap in January or redistribute minutes among the wingers already available. Either way, Brooke-Smith's absence is a setback that arrives at a moment when Portsmouth can least afford to absorb it.
Frequently asked
- How long will Luke Brooke-Smith be out for Portsmouth?
- Brooke-Smith suffered a dislocated ankle, a fractured fibula and ligament damage in training. Surgery is scheduled after the injury settles, and Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has indicated he could miss the rest of the season.
- Where did Portsmouth sign Luke Brooke-Smith from?
- Brooke-Smith joined Portsmouth on a permanent deal from New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix during the summer transfer window ahead of the current Championship season.
- How many games had Brooke-Smith played for Portsmouth before his injury?
- The 18-year-old had made four appearances for Portsmouth this season, including one Championship start, before suffering the ankle injury in training.