Southampton defender Florin Gardos could face up to seven months on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Gardos was expected to play a prominent role at the Saints next season, after impressing during his first campaign at the Premier League club.

"Very sad news," manager Ronald Koeman said of the injury following Southampton's recent 3-0 friendly win over Feyenoord.

"He was going into his second season in Southampton and young, and that type of injury and you lose six or seven months and everybody is disappointed."

Some sections of the press expect that the injury could force the team to go into the transfer market to acquire another defender.