Striker Sebastien Haller from the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund has, as feared, contracted testicular cancer and has to undergo chemotherapy.
The club announced the diagnosis of a malignant testicular tumor this Saturday, twelve days after the Ivory Coast international's departure from the Swiss training camp on July 18.
According to the club's announcement, Haller (28) will be out for months.
“Sebastien will now receive the best possible treatment.
The chances of recovery are very good," said BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl.
"We wish him and his family a lot of strength and optimism and our thoughts are with him at this difficult time."
After the testicular tumor was found at the BVB training camp in Bad Ragaz, Haller immediately returned to Dortmund in order to obtain certainty in further examinations.
A few days later, after the first treatment steps, he reported confidently via Twitter from the hospital.
He was generally combative and announced a quick return to the pitch.
Despite all the intensive sympathy, BVB is examining options to sign a replacement for the storm center.
Haller, who has just come from Ajax Amsterdam for at least 31 million euros as the most expensive attacker in the club's history to date, is actually supposed to replace top star Erling Haaland, who has migrated to Manchester City.
The only central attacker in the Dortmund squad is Youssoufa Moukoko (17).
"Nobody" will "take this story into account anymore," said the new coach Edin Terzic in Switzerland.
BVB faces a challenging Bundesliga start with games against Bayer Leverkusen (6 August) and SC Freiburg.