George Earthy hit by new injury as West Ham loanee learns timeline
West Ham loanee George Earthy has suffered an injury setback in the early days of his Bristol City stint.
Earthy has been with West Ham since 2010, having worked his way through the club’s academy ranks, but he may not progress much further.
The now 21-year-old has since made five appearances for the London Stadium outfit in all competitions, scoring one goal, but a first-team breakthrough seems a long way away.
With Nuno Espirito Santo deeming him surplus to requirements amid their relegation battle, the England Under-21 international was loaned out to Bristol in January, after spending the whole of last season with the Championship side.
But just four games into his second spell with the Robins, the attacking midfielder has suffered an injury setback.
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Details of George Earthy’s injury emerge
Bristol boss Gerhard Struber has revealed that Earthy has picked up an ankle injury, an issue that ruled him out of their FA Cup defeat to Port Vale on Tuesday.
The League One side progressed to round five of the competition thanks to Ben Waine’s 112th-minute winner in extra time.
It seems like Earthy was sorely missed by Bristol City, as they spurned the chance to host Premier League side Sunderland in round five of the competition.
However, it seems that Earthy will not be sidelined for too long after sustaining the problem against Watford on 27 February.
Struber told Bristol Live: “Yes, George Earthy has – again – something on the ankle, and he is injured.
“We have to look, maybe it’s not so bad. Maybe two [or] three weeks, after the international break, maybe he’s back.”
The March international break runs from 26-31 March, so he is set to miss games against Coventry City, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and West Brom.
He could be back for the trip to Charlton Athletic on 3 April, though.
West Ham exit surely beckons for Earthy
Earthy joined West Ham at under-six level and went on to sign his first professional contract with the club at the age of 17 in 2022.
The Havering-born player, who can also be utilised on the right of midfield, was part of the under-18 side that won the FA Youth Cup and Under-18 Premier League South double in 2023.
But after making his West Ham debuts in the Europa League in March 2024 and the Premier League a month later, Earthy has had precious little to get excited about in a Hammers shirt since then.
| George Earthy’s senior career so far | Appearances |
| West Ham (2023-24 season) | Four |
| Bristol City (2024-25) | 40 |
| West Ham (2025-26) and Bristol City (2025-26) | One and Four |
West Ham’s poor financial situation may lead to the east London outfit having to turn to some of their academy talents in the future, especially if they get relegated this season.
But if they stay up, it seems Earthy’s time at the Hammers will be drawing to a close. It appears that the Championship is his level for now, and with his contract expiring this summer, it would not be a surprise to see his 16-year stay at West Ham ending soon.
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