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George Thorne ruled out for nine months

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Former West Brom midfielder George Thorne has been ruled out for up to nine months by injury - less than week after leaving the Hawthorns.

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The 21-year-old has ruptured an anterior cruciate knee ligament and will miss the majority of the Championship season.

Thorne has damaged the his left knee – he ruptured his right 'ACL' playing for the Baggies during the 2012-13 season – just six days after completed his protracted move from The Hawthorns for a fee of around £2m.

Derby finally got their man after he had two transfer requests rejected by Albion follow a successful loan stint with the Rams last season.

Thorne was undergoing surgery in London this afternoon after damaging his knee in the defeat by Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday night and limping off after 34 minutes.

At first, it was thought not to be too serious an injury and he had only jarred his knee.

The 21-year-old midfielder had a scan yesterday which proved inconclusive and so he left the club's training base in Austria and flew from Vienna to Heathrow before having another scan in Brentford, and the full extent of the damage was revealed.

Rams' president and chief executive Sam Rush said: "We're disappointed for George and the news is extremely unfortunate.

"He will have all the support he needs from the club and he will receive the best possible treatment to ensure he makes a full recovery.

"Steve McClaren has assembled a good, strong and talented squad for the forthcoming season and an unexpected event such as this is something as a club that we will deal with."