Derby County midfielder Will Hughes is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after damaging the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the Championship club has announced.
Hughes, 20, was forced to withdraw midway through the first half of Derby’s league encounter with Bolton on Saturday and will now undergo surgery before missing the next six months of the season.
The England U’21 international is highly regarded and the news will serve as a blow to Derby’s promotion ambitions. In fact, only two Derby players made more accurate short passes in the Championship last season than Hughes (1581).
For more stats on Will Hughes, click here to visit his WhoScored player page