by JAKE NUTTING

The worst case scenario has become reality for the New York Cosmos this week as attacking midfielder Niko Kranjcar has been officially ruled out for the remainder of the Spring Season after exiting in the opening minutes of last week’s win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies with an injury.

Originally thought to be a groin strain, the Cosmos revealed today that Kranjcar actually suffered a quad strain that will sideline him for four-to-six weeks.

“We need to do the right therapy and most likely he will do therapy here, a little bit therapy away from us,” Head Coach Gio Savarese said. “He has some specialists that he knows very well. Hopefully he can go through the proper treatment in order to be able to come back as soon as possible.”

The Croatian international notched one goal and one assist in 344 minutes of play in the Spring Season. His impact goes beyond the numbers, though, as his vision and quick distribution helped raise the form of everyone around him.

Kranjcar was only signed through the Spring Season, which means he may have already played his final match in a Cosmos shirt. The Cosmos say they are still in negotiations to sign him for the Fall Season, but with strong interest from Rangers in Scotland and several other clubs, their chances of securing the 31-year old could be in doubt.

“We’re still talking to him about the possibility of keeping him for the future,” Savarese said. “He is a valuable player for us and more than a valuable player, a great person; the kind of person we want to keep with the club. So we are definitely interested in him staying with us.”