Columbus Crew midfielder Artur will be sidelined long term after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia, the club announced Monday.
The 25-year-old underwent the successful procedure last Wednesday and is expected to be out for 10-12 weeks. Artur had missed the club's last nine games since May 29 in the hopes of resolving a hip issue that dates back to last season and caused him to undergo a first hernia procedure during the offseason.
Should he be ready to return at the end of that 12-week timeframe, Artur could be back for the climax of the regular season at the end of October.
Artur has been an influential contributor for the Crew since joining the club in 2017 from Brazilian First Division side Sao Paulo, starting 104 of his 114 league appearances since. He was a key member of Columbus' MLS Cup-winning side last season, making 22 appearances during the regular season, while scoring his first two MLS goals and dishing out four assists. He also started all four of the Crew's games in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, scoring one goal in 388 minutes.
