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Liverpool dealt setback as Barcelona confirm Victor Valdes out for SEVEN months
LIVERPOOL have been dealt a severe blow in their hopes to land Victor Valdes this summer, with Barcelona confirming the shot stopper will be out for seven months after he underwent knee surgery.
The Reds had jumped to the front of the queue in the past month for the Spaniard who has enjoyed a decorated career at the Camp Nou.
Valdes' season was curtailed after he tore an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Barca's 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Barca are still challenging on all three fronts although Valdes' understudy Pinto is having to fill in in his absence.
And Valdes' worst fears have been confirmed as he will miss the World Cup this summer.
Valdes will be out of action for approximately seven months
A statement on www.fcbarcelona.com read: "Victor Valdes has been operated on this Monday morning by doctors Ulrich Boenisch and Ricard Pruna in Augsburg on his torn anterior cruciate ligament.
"The knee's internal cartilage has been sewn up and the operation was concluded successfully. Valdes will be out of action for approximately seven months."
Valdes has amassed over 535 senior games for Barca since making his debut over a decade ago, but it remains to be seen who Liverpool will now plump for this summer.