Monaco starlet Pellegri sidelined by hernia surgery

Monaco (AFP) – Sixteen-year-old Monaco striker Pietro Pellegri, the club’s youngest ever player, will undergo a hernia operation that will keep him out for six weeks, the reigning French champions said on Monday.

Italian Pellegri, who joined Monaco in January from Genoa for 20 million euros ($25 million), last month eclipsed Kylian Mbappe’s record as the club’s youngest player in history.

He was introduced as a late substitute in a 4-0 rout of Dijon at just 16 years, 10 months and 30 days, beating the record held by Mbappe who was 16 years, 11 months and 13 days old when he made his debut for the club in December 2015.

Italy youth international Pellegri, while at Genoa, had also been the youngest player to feature in Serie A and the first player born in the 21st century to play in the Italian championship.