Milan injury crisis deepens! Alexis Saelemaekers facing lengthy layoff with ankle surgery fears after Pervis Estupinan knee blow

The Rossoneri medical department is facing a busy period following the news that Saelemaekers has suffered a significant setback in his recovery process. After undergoing a series of medical examinations over the weekend, the club confirmed that the Belgian winger's right ankle has shown signs of structural failure. The tests unfortunately revealed that the joint has 'lost stability at the site of the previous surgery,' which has immediately raised concerns regarding his availability for the remainder of the season.

This development is particularly frustrating for the 27-year-old, who previously underwent an operation to repair a medial malleolus fracture in September 2024.

While a final decision has not yet been reached, the medical consensus suggests that a return to the operating theatre is the most probable path forward.

The setback comes at a frustrating time for Saelemaekers, who has featured in five appearances across all competitions for Milan this season, logging a total of 218 minutes. During that span, the Belgian winger managed to provide one assist, which came in their Serie A fixture against Venezia.

The timing of the Saelemaekers news could not be worse for Milan, coming just hours after another first-team star was ruled out of action. Pervis Estupinan has become the latest casualty of the dreaded international break, having suffered a significant setback while away on duty with the Ecuador national team. The full-back was forced to withdraw from his country's squad after complaining of severe discomfort in his leg, which was later diagnosed as a collateral medial ligament issue in his left knee.

Losing two key defensive and wide options in such a short space of time represents a significant tactical headache for the Rossoneri, especially as they sit fifth in the Serie A standings on 11 points - just two points behind leaders Roma.

Saelemaekers was just looking to re-establish himself in the Milan squad following back-to-back loan spells. Having originally joined the Rossoneri from Anderlecht in 2020, the Belgian winger spent time on loan at both Bologna in 2023-24 and Roma in 2024-25. Now back at San Siro, the 27-year-old has registered 13 goals and 20 assists in 185 appearances for Milan across all competitions.