Kyoto Sanga's former Japan striker Atsushi Yanagisawa will undergo an operation on his troubled left knee and is expected to need around two months to make a full recovery, the J. League first-division club said Friday.
The 31-year-old two-time World Cup forward hurt the knee in practice at the start of February. He continued to train with the team and has played in all five of Kyoto's league and cup matches so far this term, although he has yet to get a full 90 minutes under his belt.
Yanagisawa, who bagged 14 goals in 32 appearances last season to finish top Japanese scorer in the J. League top flight last term, is set to undergo surgery on Monday.
Hasebe has surgery
ROME (Kyodo) Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe has undergone surgery on his left knee, the German Bundesliga club said Thursday.
The Japanese international midfielder had to be substituted after hurting the knee late in last Saturday's 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bahrain. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in Hamburg on Wednesday.
Hasebe on his return to Germany consulted Wolfsburg's medical department and trainer Felix Magath on the timing of the surgery, after which the decision was made to go ahead with the operation at the earliest possible opportunity, according to Wolfsburg's official Web site.
"It's a real pity because right now we need every single player," Magath was quoted as saying.
There were no details as to how long the 25-year-old former Urawa Reds man would he sidelined for.