Sunday 26 February 2017 15:03, UK
Mauro Zarate has revealed he suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament during Watford's game against West Ham on Saturday.
The January signing was stretchered off after twisting his knee towards the end of the first half at Vicarage Road.
A scan on Sunday confirmed serious damage, and Zarate is now facing months of rehabilitation just three matches into his Watford career.
He wrote on Instagram: "Thank you everyone for your messages in this horrible moment.
"With sadness I inform you that the results show the following: anterior cruciate ligament rupture plus a Grade 1 injury of medial collateral ligament.
"I will face this with all my strength and will come back stronger than before."
Watford boss Walter Mazzarri said after Saturday's 1-1 draw Zarate was carrying a knee problem from earlier in the game at the time of the incident.
"I saw he was not completely okay, after the first knock he felt something, but he kept telling me to wait," Mazzarri said, "He wanted to stay on the pitch. So there were two occasions when he hurt his knee."
