The Preston striker Ched Evans requires surgery for a “serious medical condition” and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Player and club are optimistic of a return to playing by the former Wales international.
“Preston North End can confirm striker Ched Evans will be unavailable for an extended period after developing a serious medical condition,” they said.
“The 34-year-old forward is facing potentially life-changing consequences as a result of repeated high-force contact which he has received on a weekly basis throughout his career.
“More common in American football and rugby players, the condition requires surgery to address his current symptoms and to prevent any further damage from occurring in the future.
“Specific timeframes for a potential return will not be disclosed until the outcome of the surgery is known, but all parties remain hopeful that Ched will be back playing and scoring goals in a Preston North End shirt in the future.”
The Preston manager, Ryan Lowe, said: “We’ll be there for him every single day. Whatever he needs, we’ll be there for him and the family. It’s been tough for me, the staff and the players, because it’s a bit sickening when you get that news in the blink of an eye.
“More importantly for me as the manager, it’s about Ched’s health,. He’ll have to decide what he wants to do with his future and, whatever he chooses to do, we’ll back 100%.”
Evans, who has scored nine goals in 26 Championship games this season, last featured fin March’s win over Rotherham. After scoring what proved to be the winning goal, Evans was taken off in the second half with what was initially reported as a neck injury.
In April 2012, Evans was convicted of rape and sentenced to five years in prison. After being released on licence in October 2014, Evans launched a new appeal and his conviction was quashed in 2016. He was acquitted at a retrial later that year.
Having begun this career at Manchester City and also played for Norwich and Sheffield United, Evans joined Chesterfield between the quashing of his conviction and his subsequent retrial. After briefly returning to Sheffield United for the 2017-18 season, Evans moved to Fleetwood before joining Preston permanently in 2021.
