Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth has suffered an ankle injury on loan to Hull City, which is likely to rule him out until the New Year.
Rushworth hurt his right ankle in training on Friday in the build-up to Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat for Hull against Sunderland in the Championship.
It is unclear at this stage whether the 23-year-old will stay with his temporary employers or return to the Amex Stadium for his recovery programme.
The goalkeeper has yet to make an appearance for Hull since joining on a season-long loan in August.
He has been loaned out for the fourth season in succession after playing a part in Brighton’s pre-season tour to Japan in July under new head coach Fabian Hurzeler.
Rushworth has been on loan previously to Walsall in League Two (2021-22), Lincoln in League One (2022-23) and Championship side Swansea last season to aid his development.
The former England junior international, signed from Halifax in 2019, was part of the England under-21 squad that won the European Championships in 2023.
Rushworth, who still has three years left on a long-term contract, faces fierce competition to establish himself at Brighton.
Netherlands international goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen kept a clean sheet in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Newcastle.
Verbruggen is understudied by the experienced Jason Steele. Brighton also have England under-21 James Beadle on loan in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and Dutchman Kjell Scherpen for a second successive season in the Austrian top flight with Champions League participants Sturm Graz.
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