Barcelona winger had a long list of suitors including Aston Villa and AC Milan before ACL injury

FC Barcelona winger Roony Bardghji has suffered another cruel setback. The young Swede has suffered another ACL rupture which will sideline him for the foreseeable future.

After being left out of Hansi Flick’s squad for the pre-season tournament in Udine against Udinese and Nottingham Forest, the forward returned to group training at the start of the week.

It was during that session that disaster struck. Bardghji suffered a torn ACL in his knee, an injury that is expected to keep him out for more than seven months.

As confirmed by the club, the Sweden international underwent surgery on Wednesday. The operation went according to plan and was a complete success.

While in hospital, he received support from several Barcelona teammates, including Gavi, Pedri, Alejandro Balde and Hector Fort, who visited him during a difficult moment.

It must be noted that prior to his injury, Bardghji was set to leave Barcelona this summer, and the ACL rupture has completely disrupted Bardghji’s immediate future.

According to SPORT, before Bardghji got injured, the list of clubs pushing to sign him, either permanently or on loan, was both extensive and impressive.

Out with an ACL injury. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Valencia were keen to add him to their squad, while major European clubs including Juventus, Marseille, AFC Ajax, Lille, Aston Villa and AC Milan had all shown significant interest.

The Swede’s first season at Barcelona had generated plenty of excitement even though he did not play regularly.

The winger made a strong impression whenever Flick called upon him, scoring goals and showing why he was regarded as one of Europe’s most promising young attackers.

His profile was particularly attractive. Bardghji can operate as an inverted right winger, move inside and use his excellent left foot, making him a highly sought-after player during this transfer window.

The injury has inevitably brought those moves to a complete halt. Nevertheless, the level of interest underlines Bardghji’s enormous potential and growing reputation across European football.

Second ACL injury of his career. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Despite the severity of the injury, Bardghji is maintaining a positive outlook.

The winger already knows what it takes to recover from a serious knee injury. He suffered an ACL injury in the same knee two years ago, giving him valuable experience of the long rehabilitation process ahead.

That previous experience has helped him approach the latest setback with confidence that he can once again return to his best.

From now on, the club’s entire medical and rehabilitation staff will be available to him as he begins another long recovery, with the goal of ensuring that Bardghji can return to the pitch at his highest level.