United States men’s national team captain and AFC Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams underwent back surgery following the Copa America defeat, coach Andoni Iraola revealed on Friday.
The injury will keep Adams out for at least the start of the Premier League season, although Iraola did not provide details.
“He ended the season with a back injury,” said Iraola, via ESPN. “He wanted to play in the Copa América because it was very important to him, but he had restrictions and was still in pain, so two days after the elimination he had surgery.”
Adams played a total of 180 minutes with the USMNT in the Copa América this summer, half of which came in the 1-0 defeat to Uruguay that eliminated them from the event before the knockout stages.
Adams said he first injured his back towards the end of last season at Bournemouth, but felt he was improving before his stint with the USMNT. He was also on a minutes restriction before the Copa América.
“I felt good coming into camp and ready to train, but they were like, ‘No, no, no, let’s just build this right.’ Because, again, the most important thing for me is obviously to have a good Copa América, but to go into pre-season ready to go,” he told ESPN in June. “I just want to get to a place in shape where I can have eight, nine, 10 weeks of preparation for the start of the season and be in a really good position to become robust again.”
Adams landed at Bournemouth in a $25 million move from Leeds United last autumn. He has been injured several times since then and underwent surgery on his right hamstring in October. He made just four appearances for the first team last season and played 138 minutes.
Bournemouth finished 12th in the Premier League table last season, second in the top flight after a two-year run in the EFL Championship. The club will face Wrexham in a friendly in California on Saturday. They will open the Premier League season on August 17 against Nottingham Forest.
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