HOUSTON -- Mexico center-back Hector Moreno is set to undergo surgery on his right foot on Tuesday and will miss the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"He's been ruled out," stated Mexico's national team director Hector Gonzalez Inarritu on Monday at the team hotel. "We're not going to risk him straining it too much and getting injured again."
Moreno's problem stems from a past surgery six years ago on his fifth metatarsal, with the material implanted in his foot needing to be removed due to the pain it is causing the 27-year-old, confirmed Mexico national team doctor Gerardo Aguilar.
The Espanyol defender was taken off at halftime of El Tri's 2-2 tie with Costa Rica last Saturday in Orlando after complaining of pain in his foot.
The news comes as a significant blow to Mexico's preparation for the Gold Cup, with Moreno a certain starter for coach Miguel Herrera's side.
Chivas tweeted that Oswaldo Alanis will replace the former Pumas player for the Gold Cup, although Moreno will remain with the squad in the early stages of his recovery.
Nuestro jugador @os_alanis se incorpora a @miseleccionmx para la @GoldCup. ¡Mucho éxito, Oswaldo!
- CHIVAS (@Chivas) June 30, 2015
The confirmation of Moreno requiring surgery came exactly one year to the day since the defender fractured his tibia playing for Mexico against the Netherlands at the World Cup.
The former AZ Alkmaar player only got back playing regularly in early 2015 and the new injury will come as a blow to any realistic hope he had of transferring to a bigger club this summer.