Wycombe Wanderers have been handed a positive update on Anders Hagelskjær after Michael Duff confirmed the defender did not suffer a fresh injury against Portsmouth.
There was concern when the Denmark-born centre-back appeared uncomfortable as he left the pitch during Saturday’s 3-1 pre-season victory, having been replaced by Mo Kieta after 68 minutes.
Hagelskjær missed the closing months of last season through injury, so the sight of him hobbling towards the sidelines immediately raised fears that his preparations for the new campaign may have been disrupted.
Duff has now dismissed those concerns, explaining that the defender has been dealing with stiffness in both Achilles tendons rather than a new fitness problem.
“That’s just Anders,” Duff said.
“He’s got stiff Achilles tendons, so once he stops it takes him a few minutes to get going again.
“I asked the physios and they don’t seem to think there’s anything to be concerned about.”
The update is particularly important given how long Hagelskjær has spent working his way back towards full fitness. He has been training throughout the summer alongside Dan Casey, with both defenders still building towards the point where they can complete a full match.
“He’s been in all summer, as has Dan Casey because of the timing of their injuries,” Duff added.
“Neither is quite ready for 90 minutes yet, but they’re both getting close to where we need them to be.”
Hagelskjær has not played competitively since Wycombe’s 3-0 victory over Burton Albion on February 28. He was forced off before the hour following a collision involving Burton striker Jake Beesley and former Chairboys goalkeeper Will Norris.
That setback brought his first full season at Adams Park to an early conclusion, although he had already established himself as a regular part of the Wycombe defence.
The 28-year-old joined from Molde in January 2025 and has made 35 appearances for the club. Of those, 33 came during the 2025/26 campaign, while his only Wycombe goal arrived in a 3-2 defeat at Reading in February.
For now, Wycombe’s focus will remain on gradually increasing Hagelskjær’s workload rather than pushing him through a full 90 minutes too soon. His involvement against Portsmouth was another step in that process, and Duff’s comments suggest the manner of his departure looked more alarming than it actually was.
