Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said that injured Leroy Sane could be on the sidelines for 'six or seven months' in a blow to the Champions ahead of the season opener this weekend.
Sane tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Community Shield match against Liverpool at Wembley last week and is set to go under the knife in Barcelona within the next few days.
The German international was linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich, but looked to be staying at the Etihad Stadium for at least another season.
He was selected in the starting lineup in the Community Shield, but was forced from the pitch after just 13 minute of the game had elapsed.
Ahead of the game at the London Stadium, Guardiola gave an estimation as to the amount of time that it would take for the midfielder to return to full fitness.
"It is incredibly bad news," he said, as reported by the BBC .
"I don't know how long he will be out. Normally this kind of injury is six or seven months - hopefully February or March."
the news will come as a boost to West Ham as they prepare to face the Champions at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Sane scored 10 goals and provided 11 assists in his 31 Premier League appearances last season, including scoring a brace against the Hammers in a 0-4 victory in November.
Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping for a different result this time round.
