The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Charles Aránguiz, who signed for the Bundesliga club only last week, has torn the achilles tendon in his left foot and will be out for “many months”, the club said on Friday.

The 26-year-old Chile international, who won the Copa América with the national team last month and also reached South America’s Copa Libertadores semi-finals with the Brazilian club Internacional, had joined for a reported €12m (£8.6m) on 13 August on a five-year deal.

He will now undergo surgery next week for the injury sustained during an evening training session on Thursday, Leverkusen said, estimating he will be missing for several months.

“We are all devastated and of course are suffering along with him,” said the sports director Rudi Völler in a statement.

“Charles was looking forward to his first Bundesliga game against Hannover 96. We will do everything so that he comes back from his serious injury as soon as possible.”

Leverkusen, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, are taking on Italy’s Lazio in the Champions League play-offs for a place in the competition’s group stage. They lost the first leg 1-0 in Rome this week.