Joel Ordóñez suffered a small fracture in his foot some time ago, which led to a potential £1 million transfer falling through, with Aston Villa and Crystal Palace reportedly interested in signing him. He then focused on his recovery and hoped to return to Club Brugge quickly, but this is now unlikely. The medical staff had initially hoped to treat him without surgery, using crutches and braces, but it has since been confirmed that an operation is necessary. As a result, Ordóñez will be out for a significant period, and it is not until after the winter break that he will be able to think about returning to football.