Shanghai SIPG have confirmed Dario Conca has been ruled out for the rest of the Chinese Super League season after sustaining a knee injury in the 2-1 win over Shijiazhuang Everbright on Friday.
The Argentinian, who joined the club in 2015 from Fluminense after a trophy-laden stint at Guangzhou Evergrande, will travel to the United States for surgery after tearing the crucial ligament in his left knee and he will not return to action until next season, the club confirmed on their Weibo account.
"Shanghai SIPG's key player Dario Conca will fly to the U.S. for surgery," said the club's statement. "Thanks for his great contribution to our club since joining, but unfortunately he won't be with us for the rest of the season.
"No matter where we are, we are one team. SIPG will fight to be the best. We hope Conca can recover as soon as possible so he can be with us again soon."
Conca was named the Chinese Football Association's Player of the Year in 2013 after joining Guangzhou for $10 million in 2011 from Brazil's Fluminense in a deal that signaled the early intent of clubs from China to compete with the biggest clubs in the world in terms of transfer fees and salaries.
He led Guangzhou to the Asian Champions League title in 2013 and also picked up three Chinese Super League titles and the Chinese FA Cup before leaving the club to return to Brazil to rejoin Fluminense.
Shanghai SIPG, however, brought the 33-year-old back to China at the start of last season and he is contracted to the club until the end of 2018.
Conca missed Shanghai's 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Asian Champions League against South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors earlier in the week, with coach Sven Goran Eriksson also without the services of big money Brazilian signing Hulk, who has played just once since his €55m move to the club in the summer.