FC Utrecht expect to be without Jacob Mulenga for the remainder of the season after surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his knee revealed that the forward had also torn cruciate ligaments.

Mulenga landed awkwardly in the first half of Utrecht's 1-0 Dutch Eredivisie defeat at ADO Den Haag on Sunday, with an MRI scan showing he had damaged cartilage in his right knee. However, it became clear during surgery on Wednesday that the 26-year-old Zambian's knee problems were even graver, with the cruciate ligaments torn too.

"Jacob could not move the knee, so we have removed a piece of cartilage," explained club doctor Frank van Hellemondt. "After three or four weeks of rest we will operate on him again to repair the knee ligament. The recovery period for such a serious injury is six to nine months." Utrecht lie third in UEFA Europa League Group K with three points from as many games.