The left-back underwent successful surgery in Germany on Monday under the supervision of one of the world's leading specialists in knee operations Professor Dr. Bonisch.

The surgery, which took place at the Hessingpark-Klink hospital in Augsburg lasted for about two hours and will take him seven months to recover.

The left-back is now facing a long spell on the sidelines after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the match.

"Baba Rahman has now been ruled out of action for seven months and he suffered this injury while playing for his country," Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi said on Monday.

Rahman will wait for some few days for the wound to heal before he will starting his rehabilitation under physios from Chelsea.

The defender suffered the injury in the tournament in Gabon while playing for his country in last week's Nations Cup opener against Uganda.

The left-back tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while the damaging the inner and outer meniscus.

Baba, on loan at Schalke this season, was substituted after 39 minutes and was flown to London on Saturday for tests, which confirmed the extent of the injury.

The 22-year-old left-back was forced off in the first half of the Black Stars' opening Group D game in Port-Gentil.

Rahman left the field on a stretcher having fallen to the turf clutching his left leg.

Baba joined Chelsea from Augsburg for £21.7 million in August 2015 but failed to establish himself as a regular starter under Jose Mourinho or Guus Hiddink.

Antonio Conte allowed the 22-year-old to join Schalke on a season-long loan at the beginning of August.