Brentford have confirmed that Vitaly Janelt will miss the rest of the season after he underwent surgery to solve a persistent injury issue.
Janelt has been a regular fixture in the Brentford side this term, having started 27 of his 32 Premier League appearances.
The midfielder featured as a late substitute in Brentford's most recent outing against Brighton & Hove Albion on April 19.
The Bees have now revealed that Janelt's late cameo in the 4-2 home victory was his final appearance of the 2024-25 campaign.
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Brentford confirm Janelt surgery
Brentford released a statement to explain that Janelt will miss the remaining five matches of the season after undergoing surgery on a heel issue.
The statement read: "Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt has undergone successful surgery to address an issue in his heel that has been carefully managed throughout the season.
"The procedure went well, and he will now focus fully on his rehabilitation programme. As part of his recovery, Janelt will not feature again this season, with the aim of returning to full fitness early next term.
"He will work closely with the club's medical and performance teams to return to action as quickly as possible."
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Who else is on Brentford's injury list?
The news of Janelt's surgery represents a significant blow ahead of Thursday's Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest.
The Bees are also without midfielder Josh Dasilva and attacker Fabio Carvalho due to knee and shoulder injuries respectively.
Aaron Hickey and Igor Thiago are making progress in their respective recoveries, but it remains to be seen whether they will be available for Thursday's fixture.
Yunus Emre Konak will be assessed after he was forced off with a head injury in the win over Brighton earlier this month.
Brentford will travel to the City Ground in 11th position, having collected 46 points from their 33 league matches this season.
They will look to claim a win that would move them to within two points of eighth place, which could potentially become a European position.
