'I'll be back': Chelsea star Van Ginkel's all smiles from his hospital bed after confirmation his surgery was successful

Road to recovery: Marco van Ginkel is confident he will return to the Chelsea first team

Surgery: Marko van Ginkel successfully underwent ACL surgery, Chelsea have confirmed.

Painful: Van Ginkel injured himself in the first half of the match against Swindon and is expected to be out for six months.

Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel encouragingly appears to be fully on the road to recovery and in good spirits on Friday morning after surgery the day before.

Many would have been left devastated by a six-month lay off so soon after a big transfer but the talented youngster looks firmly in the right frame of mind.

'Just had my operation, but keep smiling and I will come back. Never give up and be strong,' he told Chelseafc.com from his hospital bed.

The 20-year-old Dutchman was left needing surgery on his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) after injuring himself in the first half of Tuesday's Capital One Cup win over Swindon.

He is expected to be missing for the next six months.

Van Ginkel tried to play on after suffering the injury in the first half of the Blues' 2-0 Capital One Cup victory but was replaced by Ramires – also taken off at half-time with injury – midway through that half.

But an MRI scan revealed on Wednesday that the Dutchman had torn his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and will play no further part in Jose Mourinho's plans this season.

Chelsea assistant first team coach Steve Holland said after the match: ‘It’s too early to say, but it doesn’t look good for Marco.