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Leon Goretzka is facing an annoying delay before making his Aston Villa debut after the German midfielder was ruled out for several weeks with a knee injury. The former Bayern Munich player, who recently arrived at Villa Park on a free transfer, will also miss Jurgen Klopp's first international break in charge of the Germany national team.

Injury setback for Villa new signing

Goretzka has confirmed that he will spend several weeks on the sidelines, putting back his much-awaited first appearance for Aston Villa. The 73-cap Germany international, who joined the Premier League club on a free transfer late in August after his contract at Bayern Munich expired, announced the update on Monday evening.

Speaking directly to the Villa supporters, Goretzka admitted his disappointment over the timing of the setback. In a statement, the 31-year-old said: 'Dear Villans, first of all, thank you for the incredible welcome. After my first few days at this club, the feeling that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be has grown stronger with each passing day. Unfortunately, my body has reacted to the increased workload after my time away from the pitch. It's frustrating, but I need this short break now to come back at full strength.'

International hopes put on pause

The timing is especially harsh for Goretzka, who played in three of Germany's four matches at the World Cup this summer before their round-of-32 defeat to Paraguay. The midfielder had been expected to play an important role under Jurgen Klopp, who replaced Julian Nagelsmann and is getting ready to start his spell in charge with Nations League matches against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia. But this injury means Goretzka will have no involvement in the upcoming international break, leaving Klopp to adjust his plans for his first training camp.

Even with the setback, Goretzka is concentrating on making a quick recovery during the current pause in domestic football. The midfielder added: 'I'll use the coming days, including the international break, to recover fully and I'll be back ready to fight and give everything for you and for Villa. Can't wait to see you on the pitch soon. Thank you for your support. Leon.'

Unai Emery stays calm

Goretzka's injury arrives at a difficult time for Aston Villa, who have made a poor start to the Premier League season and are 17th after one draw and two defeats. To add to their problems, Unai Emery's team are set to begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday with an away match against Club Brugge. Responding to the blow, Emery accepted the frustration of losing a player with Goretzka's experience before he has even played a game for the club.

Emery took a measured view when discussing the injury to the former Schalke and Bayern Munich midfielder. 'Goretzka's injury and his problems are a little frustrating, but we have players who can replace him, like Ross Barkley, Joao Gomes, Lamare Bogarde and Boubacar Kamara,' the Villa manager said.

Villa look for stability after summer clear-out

Goretzka's injury is another significant obstacle for Aston Villa as they try to get through a rebuilding period after a busy summer of exits. After losing important players including Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, Emery's squad is attempting to build a new identity. The West Midlands side will be eager to respond and claim their first Premier League win of the season when they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday.