Andrea Conti Eyeing September Return Date After Milan Ace Undergoes Second ACL Operation

Andrea Conti has revealed that he is determined to be back playing for AC Milan by September, after he underwent a second operation on a troublesome knee injury.

The full back went under the knife for the second time in six months, after he suffered a recurrence of the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained while playing for I Rossoneri last September.

Speaking to the press (h/t Football Italia) upon his arrival for the operation - conducted at Rome based medical facility Villa Stuart - Conti stated what month he expected to be back and fighting fit to get his Milan career back on track.

He said: “Despite all this I’m very calm. Unfortunately these things happen and it’s pointless crying about it, it just means this is how it was meant to go.

“Now I’m only thinking about getting the operation done and getting to work as soon as possible. I’m determined, because I know that next year will be my best.

“I want to be on the pitch straight away, in September, to get all the satisfaction I haven’t had this year. The national team? There’ll be time for that, but obviously that’s one of my objectives.”

Milan confirmed on their own website on Thursday that Conti's surgery had been a success, and that the procedure was merely to help 'stabilise' the joint that he had ruptured around seven months ago.

A statement read: "AC Milan announces that today Andrea Conti has undergone surgery to stabilise the left knee previously operated for ACL reconstruction.

"The surgery, performed by Professor Pier Paolo Mariani in the presence of the team's doctor, Mario Brozzi MD, was perfectly successful."

(You may also be interested in Gennaro Gattuso Officially Extends AC Milan Contract Until June 2021)

The 25-year-old played just five matches for Milan before his injury nightmare began. The £21m signing from Atalanta tore his knee ligaments during a training session and had appeared to have fully recovered after an intense bout of rehab.

However, after turning out for Milan's youth team, Conti sprained the same ligaments in his left knee and, after a consultation in the US, was advised to have more surgery on the area to give himself the best chance of reviving his playing career in the future.