FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza suffered a broken jaw during an altercation outside a bar in the early hours of Monday morning, according to sources briefed on the situation. The team announced Boupendza would undergo surgery on Thursday for a broken jaw due to an “off-field injury” and miss 6-8 weeks.
Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the nature of the injury. Cincinnati was off on Monday morning, sources added.
FC Cincinnati declined to comment further when reached by The Athletic on Thursday. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The incident is the latest in a bumpy first year for Boupendza, and the club’s patience is growing thin. Sources say even before the broken jaw, Cincinnati was ready to move on from the designated player this summer and look for a transfer.
An injury update on Aaron Boupendza: pic.twitter.com/Z8fUfuz8sT
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) May 1, 2024
The forward was suspended by Cincy for “disciplinary reasons” and was also sent home from the Gabon national team in separate incidents last fall. This season, Boupendza has fallen out of form and was benched the last two games, both of which Cincy won. He has three goals in 13 appearances across all competitions in 2024.
Boupendza arrived in Cincy last summer in a $7 million transfer from Saudi club Al-Shabab. He excelled on the pitch in his first half-season, scoring the goal that clinched the Supporters’ Shield for Cincy in 2023.
Boupendza, 27, has bounced around during his professional career, having played for eight clubs already plus the Bordeaux B team. The most games he’s featured in for a single club is 38 with Turkish side Hatayspor. He has been productive along the way at most of those stops, scoring 46 goals in 79 appearances before this season, and winning the golden boot in the Turkish league for the 2020-21 season.
Cincy is second in the MLS Eastern Conference with 18 points after 10 matches to start the 2024 season.
(Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images)
