Aston Villa hit by Fabian Delph knee injury

Villa signed Delph in a deal believed to be worth up to �8m

Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph will be out of action for up to eight months after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The 20-year-old, who joined Villa from Leeds last August, suffered the injury during a training session on Saturday.

He will undergo ACL reconstruction and may not play again until December.

Delph has made 14 appearances for Villa this season, scoring once in their 3-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round.

His last appearance came against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium at the start of the month, when he played for 75 minutes before being replaced by Steve Sidwell.

A statement on the club's website said: "All Villa supporters will wish Fabian a full and speedy as possible recovery."

England Under-21 international Delph joined Villa from Leeds for an undisclosed fee, but it is rumoured that the League One club could earn up to £8m from the deal.