The Fiorentina striker has struggled with injuries for much of his career and is set for another operation on his troublesome right knee

Fiorentina have confirmed that striker Giuseppe Rossi will need further surgery on his troublesome right knee.

The Italy international has seen his career blighted by serious injuries, with the latest setback meaning he faces a fourth lengthy spell out due to operations on the same joint.

The 27-year-old first suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in October 2011 while playing for Villarreal in La Liga. He reinjured the knee as he stepped up his comeback in April 2012, meaning he missed out on his national team’s assault on Euro 2012.

After signing for Fiorentina in January 2013 and making his debut in May of that year, Rossi initially appeared to have overcome his knee troubles. But he then strained the medial collateral ligament in January 2014, keeping him out for four months.

He will now have keyhole surgery after receiving a negative diagnosis from a specialist in London following a reoccurrence of knee trouble in pre-season training.

Rossi has netted 17 goals in 25 appearances for Vincenzo Montella’s side, but has missed a total of 52 competitive fixtures already since signing for the club. There is currently no clear timescale for his latest lay-off.

According to Goal