Tata Martino is reportedly being cautious with one Inter Miami player after his recent return from a long-term injury.
The Herons have been hit with a number of fitness issues this season, from Lionel Messi missing time out due to hamstring problems, to Facundo Farias and Nicolas Freire being ruled out for the rest of the year because of ACL injuries.
Despite this, Inter Miami have persevered and managed to use the depths of their squad to their maximum potential, with a number of players operating in different positions and in some cases thriving.
Yet Martino is believed to be playing a cautious game with one Inter Miami player.
Inter Miami doing everything to keep Ian Fray healthy after injury return
According to the Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman, Martino and Inter Miami are doing everything to ensure that defender Ian Fray stays healthy this year, with the defender returning to action last month after a year out with an ACL injury, the youngster’s third in his career.
Kaufman said: “It’s an incredible story. His comeback is coinciding when nobody is paying attention to MLS, but it is a remarkable story to come back from three ACL surgeries and to have the speed and the courage, and he’s not tentative at all, he’s going full speed.
“Phil Neville loved him, Tata loved when he first saw him, every coach who Fray has played for has been so high on him, but each time he got cut off by a knee injury. And Tata is worried about that, because there must be something wrong with that knee, they have to be careful.
“He didn’t play against Cincinnati, and Tata said the plan was to never play Fray after he had played two games and came back from three years of injury, they’re being careful with him.”
Fray needs the same level of care and treatment as Lionel Messi
It might be a lofty claim to suggest that Fray needs as much fitness attention as Lionel Messi, yet with what the Inter Miami defender has been through, there’s a real chance that this might already be happening behind the scenes.
The 21-year-old has had one ride of a career with three ACL injuries that have stunted the defender’s growth and development, with Fray returning this year with an incredible run of form with two goals in two games.
And for Inter Miami’s medical team, they need to ensure they’re doing all they can to keep Fray as fit as possible, with the defender a talent who could make a huge impact with the Herons this year.