Victor Valdes out for seven months with knee injury

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will miss the next seven months after undergoing surgery to repair the torn cruciate anterior ligament in his right knee in Germany on Monday, the club has confirmed. "Victor Valdes underwent surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligament on Monday morning with doctors Ulrich Boenish and Ricard Pruna in Augsburg, Germany," the club said in a statement.

"They made an incision in the internal meniscus of the right knee and the surgery was completed in a satisfactory manner.

"The estimated time out will be seven months."

It is expected that Valdes played his last game for the club when picking up the injury in a 3-0 win against Celta Vigo last week after declaring his intention to leave Barca when his contract expires in June.

The 32-year-old will also miss Spain's defence of the World Cup in Brazil later this year. Valdes has been linked with a number of clubs including Monaco and Manchester City, but has made no official announcement on where he will play next season.