What are Canada's options to replace Ismaël Koné?

Brutal injury vs Qatar 

Ismaël Koné will be out for the rest of the tournament. The 24-year-old suffered a gruesome injury in Canada’s 6-0 victory over Qatar. Indeed, Koné's going down overshadowed what was otherwise a historic victory for the Canadian men’s national team at the World Cup. Canada, in fact, broke several records on Thursday, but following the match, the talk was all about Koné’s injury and how Jesse Marsch will replace him.

The most logical choice might be the player who came on for him: Nathan-Dylan Saliba. “Saliba, with the breakout year he has been having in Belgium, for me he is a top player; he’s ready to help us,” Stephen Eustáquio said after the game. “You guys saw him today; he gives us so many things. He has a presence, plays quality passes, he is very cool on the ball, can play with his left foot and right foot.” Saliba came on for injured Koné and then scored a gorgeous freekick just eight minutes later.

Right after scoring, Saliba rushed to the sideline to hold up Koné’s no. 8 jersey. It was a brilliant moment. “It was very challenging,” Saliba said after the game. “It’s not easy when your friend goes down. In that moment, when everyone is saddened by just what happened, then you need to come on and be ready for your team.” How hard was it to bottle up the emotions? “I was just trying to do something for him,” Saliba said.

Saliba, Choinière or Davies? Canada’s options to replace Ismaël Koné

Is Saliba now the logical choice to replace Koné? “I think every guy in midfield has something different to bring,” Saliba said. “Everyone is a different player who can bring a different style to the team. Everyone in the team can help in their own way.” Another option to replace Koné could be Mathieu Choinière, Eustaquio’s LAFC teammate. “He’s been having an amazing season with LAFC,” Eustaquio said. “He has experience and creativity. But Koné has that X-factor, the team really needs him and Alphonso Davies.”

The result meant that Marsch didn’t have to rush back Davies. “The injury was a shock for everyone,” Davies said after the game. “You know we are happy to have won the game, but obviously, we now lost a player of immense quality. So, we have mixed emotions.” Could Davies even be part of the solution to replace Koné? The wing-back has been tried in a more central position with mixed results. “I think we have good players to replace him,” Marsch said after the game. “We can use different guys in different ways.” A glance at the Transfermarkt database, however, shows that Davies has never played central midfield. But even if Davies isn't a replacement for Koné, getting him back would be paramount to add that X-Factor back to the squad that Canada have now lost in the form of the Sassuolo midfielder.

Everyone is keeping their cards close to their chest. But based on talent and form, Saliba would be the most obvious candidate to replace Koné. The Anderlecht midfielder has been in good form in Belgium and is now being linked with a move to a top-five league. Bundesliga teams, in particular, are excited about the CF Montréal academy product. So going with Saliba would be the most straightforward choice. “I will be ready to do whatever it takes,” Saliba said.

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