AC Milan's Conti to miss around 6 months after ACL tear

AC Milan full-back Andrea Conti will miss around six months of action after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the Italian club said in a statement Friday.

The 23-year-old, one of Milan's marquee summer signings, had injured his ankle while on duty with the Italian national team. Although that concern had passed, Conte suffered a much more serious setback in training Friday.

It's unclear how the injury happened. He's not expected to return until mid-March.

Signed from Atalanta for a reported €23 million, Conti is considered a vital part of Milan's future. He also began to show promise as Italy's next-best right back.

All of that is now on hold.

It's a pity for manager Vincenzo Montella, whose switch to a 3-5-2 formation would've benefitted the more attack-minded Conti. He thrived as a wingback with Atalanta last season, scoring eight goals as the most prolific defender in the top five European leagues.

Montella will now have to lean heavily on the inexperienced Davide Calabria and the aging Ignazio Abate for the majority of the season.