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Victor Valdes out for seven months

Barcelona have estimated Victor Valdes' recovery period at seven months after the Blaugrana goalkeeper successfully underwent a knee operation in Germany on Monday morning.#INSERT
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caption:Victor Valdes had planned to leave Barcelona at the end of the current season before his injury.
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Valdes, 32, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Barca’s 3-0 Primera Division win over Celta Vigo on March 26, and is now definitely ruled out of the summer’s World Cup, with a return to action now most likely around October.

The Spain international goalkeeper had planned on leaving Barca once his contracts ends this summer, with Monaco and Manchester City reported as his most likely destinations.

The serious injury may now complicate those plans, and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said he would be happy to see the Masia graduate stay at the Camp Nou for another season at least.

The Catalan club released a statement after the operation had been completed giving further details on the procedure and Valdes’ likely period of absence.

"Victor Valdes was operated upon this Monday morning by doctors Ulrich Boenisch and Ricard Pruna in Augsburg (Germany) to fix the tear in his anterior cruciate ligament," the statement said.

"It was carried out with a suture in the internal meniscus of his right knee and the procedure was completed in a satisfactory way. The time out of action should be approximately seven months."

Barcelona currently sit in second place in La Liga, one point behind Atletico Madrid with seven games left to play.