MADRID, November 30 – Real Madrid's Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain may be suffering from more than just a simple back muscle injury and may need to go undergo surgery, Spanish media reported Tuesday.The 22-year-old has not played since he picked up the injury during Real’s 5-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao on November 20. He was replaced by French striker Karim Benzema during Real’s 5-0 away loss to Barcelona on Monday.
"Club doctors fear that it is more than simple lower back pain," Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported.
"Higuain may be operated on," added Madrid-based sports daily Marca.
The reports said the player may be suffering from a herniated disc.
Marca reported that Real could seek to recruit a new striker in the winter transfer period to make up for Higuain’s absence. It said Werder Bremen’s Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida was a strong candidate.
