Brentford defender Andreas Bjelland has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
The 27-year-old will undergo surgery after suffering ligament damage on his debut for the club against Oxford United in the League Cup on Tuesday.
Bjelland joined the Bees from FC Twente last month for £2.1m.
"The consensus is that such a procedure will take, on average, around nine months to recover from," Brentford medical chief Neil Greig told the club's official website.
"Surgery will take place once the initial inflammation has settled. His recovery will be well planned under the guidance of the leading knee consultant in the country.
"Andreas's focus on recovery is already strong, which gives me absolute confidence that he will make a complete return to his previous level of football."
Brentford are back in Championship action tomorrow when they make the trip to Bristol City.
Jack Prescott
