08 January 2024 , 10:02
368
0
Dapo Mebude has undergone successful surgery following the car accident which saw him rushed to hospital over the weekend, his club Oostende have confirmed.
Mebude, who began his career with Rangers and also spent time on the books of Watford, has played for Belgian side Oostende since 2022. His team's training match against Knokke was postponed after he was involved in a horror car crash which saw him taken to AZ Brugge hospital for treatment.
Reports in Belgium claimed Mebude, 22, needed to be freed by the fire brigade after the crash, which reportedly saw a car collide with a tree. Oostende provided a fresh update on Sunday night while indicating more details were expected on Monday.
"Dapo Mebude underwent successful surgery after his accident," Oostende's statement read. "Tomorrow [Monday] we will get more information about his situation.
"We thank the medical staff of AZ Brugge for the good care. We think of Dapo and his family and wish them much strength and recovery."
Family of great-great-gran, 83, killed by dog call for Bully breed to be banned
A number of football fans shared messages of support for the youngster in the comments under Oostende's update. "Very best wishes Dapo," read one, while others wished him a speedy and full recovery.
Many of the well-wishers were fans of Rangers. Mebude, who was born in England, spent several years on the Gers' books before signing professional terms as a teenager, and went on to make his senior debut for the club under Steven Gerrard.
Share your messages of support for Dapo Mebude in the comments section
Dapo Mebude scored goals in England for AFC Wimbledon before joining his current club (Getty Images)He left Scotland in the summer of 2021, opting to join a Watford side who had just been promoted to the Premier League at the time. He spend his first Hornets season out on loan at AFC Wimbledon, scoring twice in 25 league games, before moving on to Oostende.
The Belgian side were relegated from the Belgian top flight in Mebude's first season. He has played just twice this term as they look to avoid a second straight relegation - Oostende sit bottom of the second-tier Challenger League after 16 matches.
Rangers put out a message of their own on social media on Sunday. "The thoughts of everyone at #RangersFC are with our former Academy player, Dapo Mebude and his family at this time," it read.
"Hope Dapo is okay , all thinking of you," one reply to Rangers' post read. "Once a ranger, always a ranger... wishing him a speedy recovery," wrote another fan.