De jong follows Becks to Finland for op
Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong will have surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon performed by the same Finnish professor who operated on David Beckham, AC Milan said on Monday.
De Jong suffered the injury Saturday in Milan's 4-1 win away to Torino, which left the Rossoneri in seventh place in Italy's Serie A 14 points behind leaders Juventus.
He will be operated on by Professor Sakari Orava, who patched up Beckham when he tore his left Achilles tendon during a loan spell at Milan in 2010, an injury which kept the English icon out of the World Cup as well as the following MLS season.
A statement from Milan on Monday said De Jong would have his operation "performed in Finland by Professor Orava at his Turku clinic.
"David Beckham had his operation performed by the professor as did Giuseppe Pancaro," it added.
De Jong was one of several summer recruits by Milan after the club cashed in by selling many of its squad including Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Club owner Silvio Berlusconi, however, has not yet confirmed that a replacement for the Dutchman will be brought in during the January transfer window.
"We'll see," Berlusconi told Sky Sport Italia when asked if Milan would buy a replacement player.
