Brighton star Jeremy Sarmiento opens up on injury nightmare after suffering West Ham setback
Brighton winger Jeremy Sarmiento had just broken into Graham Potter's first-team when a hamstring injury sustained on his full Premier League debut led to him needing surgery
Jonty ColmanPortsmouth FC writer
Brighton's teenage winger Jeremy Sarmiento admits that surgery was the only option to deal with the hamstring injury he suffered last week on his full Premier League debut.
The 19-year-old Ecuador international made his first league start for the club at the London Stadium on December 1, but saw his landmark appearance end just 13 minutes in after suffering a serious hamstring injury early in the match.
In what was the teenager's second Premier League appearances and fourth since signing for the Seagulls from Benfica's academy, he was replaced by Solly March and is now facing a spell on the sidelines.
Sarmiento admitted he tried to keep playing on but it was too much and the results of the scan made surgery more of a necessity than an option.
"Unfortunately, I got injured against West Ham; it was a weird thing," Sarmiento told El Universo, as published by Sport Witness.
"I don't know exactly what it was, but I would imagine on one of the plays I was going to retrieve the ball, and I slowed down, all my weight was on my left leg, and I felt a twinge.
"I tried to keep playing, but the pain kept coming on. So I decided to stop, and from there, we saw the results. Of course, it's not good at all, but I'm focused on recovery and coming back stronger than ever.
"I spoke with the physios and teammates, and that was the best option to operate.
"I have two teammates who had the same problem, and they told me that was the best option they took. I knew it was the only option I had."
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