Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will miss the rest of the season and Spain's defence of the World Cup as he will be sidelined for seven months following knee surgery.

"Victor Valdes underwent surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligament on Monday morning with doctors Ulrich Boenish and Ricard Pruna in Augsburg, Germany," Barcelona said in a statement on Monday.

"They made an incision in the internal meniscus of the right knee and the surgery was completed in a satisfactory manner.

"The estimated time out will be seven months."

The 32-year-old had been primed to push Spain captain Iker Casillas for his place in goal at the World Cup in Brazil later this year given the Real Madrid man's lack of first team action this season.

Instead, Manchester United's David de Gea is likely to go as back up to Casillas and Napoli's Pepe Reina.

It is expected that Valdes has also played his last game for Barcelona when picking up the injury in a 3-0 win against Celta Vigo last week after declaring his intention to leave the club when his contract expires in June.

Valdes has been linked with a number of clubs including Monaco and Manchester City, but has made no official announcement on where he will play next season.