The serious life changing back injury was a Pars Fracture. So common that 1 in every 5 athletes experience it. For specific sports - football is one of them - that number goes up to 1 in 4.
From
John Hopkins.
On a pure numbers basis, it's likely that at least 6 or 7 of the squad have had it at some point. Lindelof played through longstanding back issues in 2020/21, Hojlund had a back problem when he arrived (which Andy Mitten said was a Pars Fracture).
The fact that it's still brought up as one of the many rotating Schrodinger's Rashy problems is silly. (
He's playing badly > "It's his back injury. He's never recovered. He's lost speed. He can't compete physically anymore; that's why he's not pressing or competing for duels.
He plays well > "......uhhh....he's actually been playing well this whole time. Sell him? You're crazy. He's 27, peaking, it's not like he has a chronic injury or something")