Stuttgart's Langerak suffers surgery setback

Australia's Mitch Langerak has suffered another setback at the start of his Stuttgart career, with the goalkeeper having knee surgery.

Langerak tore a muscle in his thigh in July after joining Stuttgart from Borussia Dortmund and has yet to make his competitive debut for the Baden-Wurttemberg-based club.

Stuttgart revealed on Friday that the 27-year-old needed surgery to deal with a "large cyst" on the back of his knee.

"This has since become such an interruptive factor, constantly preventing an increase in training intensity that the decision has now been made to operate on the problem area," a statement on Stuttgart's website read.

"Following the surgical intervention, Mitch Langerak is expected to spend six to eight weeks working on his comeback and catching up on his training deficit."

It is a big blow for the Australian, who left Dortmund in the search of more regular game-time, having accrued 19 Bundesliga appearances during five seasons at the Westfalenstadion.

Langerak has played six matches for Australia.