Serdar's season over as Schalke is dealt bitter blow of four-month absence

Suat Serdar suffered knee ligament damage in Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Augsburg, with Schalke expecting him to be out for up to four months.

Schalke's Suat Serdar

Schalke midfielder Suat Serdar will miss the remainder of the Bundesliga season due to knee ligament damage, his club has confirmed.

The Germany international, who is in his second season with Schalke, had been one of the club's standout performers this season, with his seven goals from midfield making him its top scorer in the Bundesliga.

Serdar had been a regular alongside Weston McKennie in the Schalke midfield and made his 20th appearance of the league season against Augsburg on Sunday.

But he was forced off in the 56th minute of the 3-0 home defeat after injuring his knee, with scans since revealing a partial ligament tear.

Schalke's statement confirmed he will be out for the rest of the 2019-20 season, while head coach David Wagner said he expects the 23-year-old to be sidelined for "at least three to four months".

The news comes as a bitter blow to Schalke, which, after a positive first half to the season has suffered a significant dip in form, failing to win any of its past nine league matches.