Bournemouth’s Traore contracts malaria

Bournemouth’s Ivory Coast midfielder Hamad Traore will miss the Africa Cup of Nations and faces a lengthy spell out of action after being hospitalised with malaria.

Traore was set to be part of the Elephants’ squad in the forthcoming African Cup of Nations, which will be staged in his home country in January.

But the 23-year-old will now spend time recovering from the disease and undergoing further tests after his spell in hospital.

“He is much better than he was in the past weeks,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola told reporters on Friday. 

“It has been a really tough situation for him personally, because of the timing and it is a disease that makes you very weak.

“Now he is out from the hospital, he is here with us, but from the sport side, he has to be out for some time.”

Asked what Traore’s recovery timetable will be, Iraola said: “They have to check that everything works well, all his body is working properly. But for sure he will be out for some months.

“I cannot be more concrete, but obviously he will not be part of the Africa Cup of Nations and he will not be able to play for us for some time.”

Iraola did not reveal how Traore caught malaria, but it has been reported he contracted the illness in November.

He made two World Cup qualifying appearances for the Ivory Coast during that time against Seychelles and Gambia.

Traore joined Bournemouth during the last January transfer window, initially on loan from Serie A side Sassuolo with an obligation for the deal to be made permanent in the summer.

He has found opportunities limited both under Iraola and former boss Gary O’Neil, appearing only 10 times in the Premier League during his first 12 months in England.