Wolfsburg have confirmed that midfielder Josuha Guilavogui broke vertebrae in his neck during Saturday's friendly defeat to Sporting Lisbon.

The 25-year-old only put pen to paper on a permanent deal at the Bundesliga outfit earlier this summer after spending time on loan from Atletico Madrid last term.

Guilavogui was immediately taken to hospital after the challenge in the second half of Wolves' 2-1 defeat at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, with an MRI scan revealing the bad news.

Despite the damage, the France international was able to return home with his teammates following the match in Lisbon and was quick to absolve his opponent of any blame.

"The doctors said I had some fortune in my misfortune," he told the club's official website. "I don't accuse my opponent of doing any wrong, it was just an unlucky situation.

"Now I hope the healing process goes positively and that I recover as quickly as possible, so that I am available for the team again."

No estimated return date has yet been given by medics.