Hull City are expected to be without midfielder for a period after the summer arrival aggravated an existing groin problem — the same injury that had previously threatened to derail his move to the MKM Stadium.
Iroegbunam made an encouraging impact as a substitute against Newcastle United earlier this month. Coming on at half-time with City trailing 2-0, he helped the Tigers mount a strong comeback and played despite suffering from the injury.
His display appeared to put him in line for his first start when Hull return to Premier League action against his former club Everton next Sunday. However, the 23-year-old is now a major doubt and could reportedly miss a significant part of October.
The setback will be a major blow for head coach Sergej Jakirovic, who is already keeping a close eye on his squad during the international break. With several players involved in a demanding schedule of international matches, the manager will be hoping his key players return without further injuries.
Iroegbunam’s absence is particularly significant with fellow midfielder Hidemasa Morita still working his way back to full fitness. The Japan international arrived during pre-season carrying a calf problem and could feature for some minutes when Hull face Sheffield United in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the MKM Stadium on Friday.
Hull are also awaiting further information on summer signing Elias Ansah. The striker, who joined the club with an existing back injury, is due to visit a specialist next month for further assessment.
Ansah’s condition is expected to become clearer after that appointment, which should help determine whether he can resume training within a couple of weeks or faces a longer spell on the sidelines. A layoff of around two months is reportedly a possibility.
Hull signed Ansah knowing they had attacking options available following the arrivals of Mohamed-Ali Cho, Robinho Vaz and Joe Gelhardt, allowing the club to take a patient approach to his recovery.