Brutal injury confirmed: Nottingham Forest legend player has broken his back, according to reports.

Brutal injury confirmed: Nottingham Forest legend player has broken his back, according to reports.

Nottingham Forest’s Premier League preparations have been hampered by the news that Omar Richards, their new signing from Bayern Munich, has a hairline fracture of the leg.

Richards, who joined Forest earlier this month, will miss the start of the season for the newly promoted club due to a ten-week recovery period.

Head coach Steve Cooper, speaking after Forest’s 3-1 pre-season win over Hertha Berlin, said: “Omar has picked up an injury, we are still getting to the bottom of it. But it is unfortunate what has happened. It is not going to be a few days. But it is not going to be months and months and months.

“I guess the short-term feeling of it is one of disappointment, because we got him here, he was excited, he trained really well and he has had this set-back. But nothing changes in terms of the plan for him, it will just be a little delayed.”

Richards was bought with a view to being part of Forest’s first-choice XI but Cooper must now reassess ahead of their first game of the season at Newcastle United on August 6.

Harry Toffolo, who can fill the void, has already been signed in a double deal with Lewis O’Brien, another Huddersfield Town player. Toffolo was a target for Forest before the injury to Richards and played in Wednesday’s friendly.