Chelsea's Zouma to undergo ACL surgery; expected to miss 6 months

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has revealed he'll undergo surgery this week to repair the ACL damage he suffered during Sunday's draw against Manchester United.

Zouma will undergo the procedure within the next two days, with Chelsea announcing the 21-year-old will be sidelined for approximately six months.

He sustained the injury during the second half of the 2-2 draw when he landed awkwardly on his right knee. He was seen writhing on the pitch in severe pain.

The disappointing news comes after scans on his knee revealed the extent of the injury.

It's a devastating blow to Chelsea's back line after Zouma solidified himself as a regular first-team option at Stamford Bridge.

His absence, however, will offer Gary Cahill an opportunity to reclaim his place in the starting squad after losing his position to the young central defender.

Zouma has started every match since Guus Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho as manager in December, and has appeared in 23 of Chelsea's 25 Premier League matches.

The projected time frame for recovery also puts his involvement in the European Championship this summer with the French national team in jeopardy, as he'll likely struggle to regain fitness ahead of the competition in June.