Aug. 19, 2026, 12:46 p.m. ET
Haji Wright played a big role in Coventry City getting to the Premier League, but he won’t be there for the start of the Sky Blues’ 2026-27 campaign.
Wright scored 17 goals in the 2025-26 season to become the top scorer for Coventry, as manager Frank Lampard’s squad won the second division and earned a place in the Premier League. But Wright may not appear in the top flight for three months after suffering a quad injury.
“Haji Wright won’t be available for the Arsenal game,” Lampard said in a news conference ahead of his team’s season opener Friday, Aug. 21 against the Gunners. “He won’t be available for a little while, he’s got a very serious quad injury which is disappointing for Haji and for us.
“It’s certainly going to be a number of weeks, could even be up to 12 weeks.”
Wright was part of the United States’ World Cup roster this summer, though he featured sparingly. Wright made late cameos against Australia and Belgium.
The 28-year-old forward has 22 caps for the United States since his international debut in 2022, scoring seven times including a goal in a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup.
Without Wright, Lampard may utilize English No. 9 Ellis Simms up top or press a new signing into duty. Taiwo Awoniyi joined this week from Nottingham Forest, and talented teenager Sidiki Cherif also signed this week from Fenerbahçe.
