Anderlecht have quickly dismissed claims attributed to Henry Onyekuru in which the Nigeria international stated that he does not need an operation and will return to the pitch in the first week of February.
The Everton loanee tore the internal ligament of his right knee in the second half of Anderlecht's 1-0 win over his former club Eupen exactly a week ago after clashing with the goalkeeper.
''Last weekend, Henry Onyekuru had directly passed the necessary exams. Our medical staff and the attending physician were of the opinion that an operation was inevitable,'' Anderlecht wrote on their official website on Friday, December 29.
''After these recent statements, they maintain their original point of view.
''Given the severity of this injury, the quick winger will in any case be sidelined for several months to recover optimally. The details will be discussed internally with Everton FC, the club that lends us Henry Onyekuru.''
Anderlecht manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck says Onyekuru will be out of action for six months, which effectively rules him out of the 2018 World Cup