Szabolcs Schon faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ACL injury during his loan spell away from Bolton Wanderers. The 26-year-old winger was forced off after just 11 minutes in his eighth appearance for Hungarian side ETO FC this season, with the damage confirmed after the match and surgery following soon after.

He has now begun his rehabilitation but will miss the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign. A speedy recovery could see him return before the end of the season, but competitive football is unlikely until the 2027/28 campaign, creating significant uncertainty over his next steps.

Loan spell and international recall

Schon joined ETO FC on an initial loan from Bolton before the Hungarian club triggered an option to sign him permanently earlier in 2025. He had made an immediate impact prior to his injury, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 31 games during a title-winning season. His form also earned him a recall to the Hungary national team in March, where he marked his first appearance since November 2024 by scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory over Slovenia. He was in line for further selection for UEFA Nations League fixtures this autumn before the injury struck.

Bolton contribution and future context

Schon made his first season with Bolton Wanderers in 2024/25 after joining from Fehervar, contributing one goal and five assists as the club won promotion to the Championship. His departure on loan was part of the club's reshaping for the second tier. Supporters, former teammates, and coaches have wished him well in his recovery.

The injury comes as Bolton, currently 17th in the Championship with 10 points from nine games, handle a challenging period. Their recent form reads two wins and three defeats from the last five, a sequence you can review in full on the club's fixtures page. Schon's long-term absence removes a potential attacking option for the future as the squad, which includes current top scorer Thierry Gale, looks to climb the standings. The immediate focus for Ian Evatt's side is an away trip to face Wolves in their next fixture, a match where the team will be aiming to improve upon a recent run of conceding an average of 1.8 goal minutes per game.

The original report is at The72 - Football League News