Agentine football federation on Friday, said that Manuel Lanzini, West Ham’s Argentine midfielder will miss the World Cup after sustaining a knee injury during training in Spain.

“Manuel Lanzini suffered, in today’s morning training, the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee,” the federation wrote in a Twitter message.

The 25-year-old, who had been linked with a summer transfer to Liverpool, now faces a lengthy spell on the side-lines. His injury is a blow for Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli who had counted on Lanzini for his starting line-up.

Argentina’s national team is due to travel to Russia on Saturday for the World Cup. Argentina have been drawn in Group D alongside Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria.