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AZ lose Luirink for nine months

AZ Alkmaar will be without Gijs Luirink for up to nine months after the highly-rated central defender underwent surgery on his left knee in Amsterdam.

AZ Alkmaar could be without Gijs Luirink for the rest of the season after the highly-rated defender underwent knee surgery in Amsterdam.

Injury problems
The 23-year-old centre-back tore a cruciate ligament in his left knee in training in July and underwent an operation to repair the damaged joint on Monday, with the recovery period estimated to take between six and nine months. Luirink joined AZ from FC Groningen last summer having been part of the victorious Netherlands squad at the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, but in his first season at the club a broken cheekbone restricted him to 16 Eredivisie appearances. He also missed most of the 2004/05 campaign at Groningen after tearing ligaments in his right knee.

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