Chelsea's new Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel will be out for around six months after undergoing knee surgery on Thursday, the Premier League club announced.
Chelsea football player Marco Van Ginkel controls the ball in Bangkok on July 17, 2013.
The midfielder, in only his second start for Jose Mourinho's side since his switch from Vitesse Arnhem, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Tuesday's League Cup win over third-tier Swindon Town.
"Chelsea Football Club can confirm Marco van Ginkel successfully underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery today (Thursday)," read a statement on the Chelsea website, www.chelseafc.com.
"The 20-year-old midfielder is expected to be out for approximately six months."
Van Ginkel twisted his knee awkwardly in the early stages of the game at Swindon's County Ground and despite trying to play on, he was forced off in the 10th minute.
Earlier on Thursday, Van Ginkel's agent, Rob Jansen, told Dutch agency ANP that the player would be sidelined for up to nine months, adding that his chances of playing for Holland at next year's World Cup were "threatened".