Julen Lobete successfully gets through knee surgery

Julen Lobete has successfully come through surgery for a serious knee injury, according to Sport. The Málaga CF winger suffered damage to the anterior cruciate ligament and the external meniscus in his right knee, and is already starting his recovery.

Surgery outcome

As the outlet reports, Lobete was operated on successfully at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital. From here, the road back begins, and the immediate consequence is that he will be completely out of the group’s dynamics for the rest of this season.

What it means for the squad

Sport describes the injury as one of the most significant physical setbacks the Málaga side has faced in its return to La Liga, with added pressure in the wide role after doubts remained once the transfer window closed. During pre-season, Juan Cruz had been the only reinforcement, although the situation could lead to more changes.

The article also says Lobete has offered the club the chance to have his registration freed up, in a similar way to what Álex Pastor did last campaign, so Málaga can open a slot in the squad. Sport notes that the club currently has 25 professional contracts already used, and for now Lobete still appears as registered on the Spanish football federation website.

The key question is who will replace him and when: Sport highlights the debate over whether to act now through the free-agent market or wait until January to sign players who already have match sharpness. The club’s preference, as reflected in Sport, is for an immediate-impact player, while “rushing isn’t good advice”. The names mentioned so far include Martial and Zaha via offers.

Meanwhile, Málaga keeps working on recovery from the early-season troubles after the first seven matchdays, while Lobete continues his long rehab process and, per Sport, will see his contract end in 2027.