Wout Weghorst has left the Netherlands training camp ahead of their opening World Cup qualifying match.
After the several months, the the Premier League and the other top leagues across Europe have stopped for the third international break of the 2025/26 season.
The break will allow many of the remaining spots in the the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be held across the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, to be decided in a series of play-off matches.
Among the European nations competing for a place in the major competition is The Netherlands, who will secure their spot if they can beat Poland in their opening match on Friday evening.
Advert
But they will have to do so without Weghorst, who has been made to leave the Netherlands training camp before their first game of the break.
Across his professional career, Weghorst has been a key player for the Dutch national team, making 49 appearances and scoring 14 goals under manager Ronald Koeman.
Therefore, it came as no surprise that the Ajax striker was named in the squad for the upcoming matches against Poland and Lithuania.
But, according to Dutch outlet NOS, the Royal Dutch Football Association have confirmed that Weghorst is not not fit enough to participate in the World Cup qualifying match against Poland, and therefore has left the training camp.
It's currently unclear what exactly is wrong with the former Manchester United forward, but whatever it is has held him back from making his fiftieth appearance for Oranje.
Weghorst's departure from the training camp comes after the Netherlands team released an official statement confirming that he was struggling with a 'physical condition' and that Chelsea star Emanuel Emegha would replace him if needed.
It read: “Ronald Koeman has added Emmanuel Emegha to the squad in Zeist. The striker‘s call-up is due to Wout Weghorst‘s physical condition.
“The Ajax player is not fully fit, and the coming days will determine his availability for Poland vs Netherlands.”
Emegha's inclusion in the Dutch squad marks the the first time that the 22-year-old has been asked to join the senior side, having only previously played for the U21 side.
He comes off the back of him enjoying impressive form this season in Ligue 1, with four goals and two assists in five matches for Strasbourg ahead of his move to Stamford Bridge next summer.
Meanwhile Weghorst has had a mixed season, scoring seven goals in 14 games in all competitions, including disappointing Champions League performances against Chelsea and Galatasaray.
Topics: Wout Weghorst, Netherlands, Injury, Football, Premier League, Manchester United, Ajax, Ronald Koeman
Ben McCrum