Stefan Lainer Suffers Metacarpal Fracture, Salzburg Forward Also Facing Uncertainty
Red Bull Salzburg will be without key players as they prepare for their winter training camp. Right-back Stefan Lainer sustained a metacarpal fracture during a friendly match against Bayern Munich on January 6th, 2026, requiring surgery and sidelining him from the training camp in Belek/Tünkei Ligaportal.
Lainer returned to Salzburg last summer after six seasons with Borussia Mönchengladbach Fansweek, quickly becoming a consistent performer for the Austrian Bundesliga leaders. He has featured in 28 games across all competitions this season, contributing one goal and five assists.
Additional Injury Concerns & Potential Transfer
Adding to Salzburg’s injury woes, Takumu Kawamura is also unavailable due to a knee injury. The situation is further elaborate by the potential departure of top scorer Petar Ratkov,who is currently in Italy to discuss a possible transfer to Lazio Rome Ligaportal. It’s believed a deal could bring a fee in the “double-digit million range” for the Serbian striker.
Key Takeaways
- Stefan Lainer will undergo surgery for a metacarpal fracture and miss the winter training camp.
- Takumu Kawamura is sidelined with a knee injury.
- Petar Ratkov is in talks with Lazio Rome, possibly leading to a significant transfer for Red Bull Salzburg.