Manchester, England – Manchester United center back Chris Smalling will undergo surgery on a metatarsal injury and could be sidelined up to 10 weeks, the English club announced Saturday.
Smalling, 22, suffered the injury Wednesday and will require surgery that will sideline him for the beginning of the English Premier League season.
"He got an injury on the Wednesday and, straight away, we decided to have the operation so he's out," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told MUTV.
"It's difficult to say with a metatarsal, but it could be 10 weeks."
United opens the season Aug. 20 at Everton, and Smalling could miss up to six league matches if he does not return until October, as expected.
The England international, capped three times for his country, will also miss time on the international level. England begins qualifying for the 2014 World Cup on Sept. 7 at Moldova.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.