PSV cannot, for the time being, call upon Alassane Pléa. The 33-year-old forward picked up an injury in training on Friday and is expected to be out at least until the end of September with a new problem.
For Pléa, it is another major setback after he already spent a long spell rehabilitating over the past year. The Frenchman suffered a serious knee injury in August last season during the match against FC Twente, which all but wiped out his year.
This latest injury is completely unrelated to the knee that caused Pléa so many problems last season. He had been edging his way back, but now faces another rehabilitation process.
Still, the experienced forward refuses to let it get him down. "I will keep fighting and do everything I can to be back as soon as possible," he said on Friday. "It is not about how often you go down, but how often you get back up."
Pléa remains under contract at PSV until mid-2028 and this season was due to battle Ricardo Pepi for the position through the middle of the attack. PSV still have Guus Til as an alternative for the striker position. In addition, Jong PSV have two young centre-forwards in Austyn Jones and Keziah Oteng-Mensah who could potentially serve as options.
According to Rik Elfrink of the Eindhovens Dagblad , Pléa's new injury appears to be forcing PSV to switch gears in the transfer market now that the Eindhoven club are without a striker again. Last year, Myron Boadu arrived at the last moment after Pléa suffered an injury, but PSV ultimately decided not to continue with him last month and Boadu has been a free agent since 1 July 2026.
Meanwhile, PSV were already working on a deal for 17-year-old Mikkel Bro Hansen of Bodø/Glimt. The Danish striker is keen on a move to Eindhoven, according to the ED, but PSV do not yet have an agreement with the Norwegian club, who are demanding many millions for the talent.