Rotherham United have lost the services of forward Fabio Tavares for the season after he picked up an Achilles injury.
The 25-year-old joined from Burton Albion on a two-year contract and looked to be a promising signing for the new-look Millers as they began life on League Two under Alex Bruce.
Tavares Blow Revealed
However, the Portuguese striker will now be stuck on the sidelines for the remainder of the season, after picking up an Achilles tendon problem during their midweek EFL Trophy clash with League Two and White Rose rivals York City.
Speaking about his situation, alongside the fitness concerns over fellow summer recruit Ewan Otoo, to the Rotherham Advertiser, Alex Bruce confirmed the worst for Tavares.
“It’s bad news for the pair of them, unfortunately.
“Fabio has ruptured his Achilles, so he’ll be out for the season. Ewan has torn his thigh quite badly, so he’s going to be out for a number of weeks.
“Ewan was on his knees, he’s stretched to try to react to a ball coming towards his way and he’s nicked his thigh. Fabio’s jumped for a header and landed funny on his heel. He felt a ping in his Achilles.
“You can’t really do much about impact injuries. I feel for the pair of them. They were doing well for us. I wish them a speedy recovery.”
Tavares had scored twice and assisted once across nine appearances in South Yorkshire since his arrival, becoming an ideal partner to Paul Mullin, who has got off to an excellent start with the club with four League Two goals to his name so far.
Is A New Striker Needed?
Fabio Tavares was a big addition as part of Rotherham United’s summer rebuild, and while they should be fine without him in the short term, this injury blow may force their hand when it comes to their January business.
Providing a great contrast to Paul Mullin and Tom Bradshaw, the 25-year-old was a great threat to have to complement his strike partner, and with him out of action, they have lost a useful aspect of their final third play.
Finding a new injection of pace up front may become a priority heading into the next transfer window, and there could be some options in the National League which could intrigue them if they are willing to spend some money.
One could be AFC Fylde‘s Luca Thomas, who has played a pivotal role in the early-season success of the National League North champions, and while he is not a natural forward, playing in a wider role on the right could lead to him being a key chance creator for Mullin as well as himself.
For someone with prior EFL experience, they could also go for Solihull Moors‘ Jacob Wakeling, whose versatility on any side or centrally could be very helpful in being able to change their tactics around mid-game.
However, given the constraints seen at Rotherham over the summer, it could be a while before they figure out what their next step is, and even if making a move for a new forward is possible to replace Tavares.