FC Barcelona starlet Giovani Dos Santos has been confirmed as the third Barca player after Yaya Toure and Gabriel Milito in the space of a week to undergo an operation as the Mexican international looks to put flight to ankle problems that he has been suffering since November last year.

Giovani first sustained the ankle injury in a Copa del Rey match against Alcoyano in mid-November when he was on the receiving end of a tough tackle from Manuel Carrión and had to be stretched out. He was subsequently declared fit to play and it was thought that the injury wasn’t serious enough to warrant an operation.

But the highly rated 18-year old has been troubled by problems to his ankle since then and these troubles have only increased in the last few weeks. Barcelona have now decided that it would be better for the player if he undergoes an operation on his left ankle to solve the problem for good so that the player can play safely in the future.

But whether that future remains at Camp Nou or not remains a matter of debate of course. Giovani Dos Santos has been linked with a move away from Barca in the summer with Premiership sides Manchester City and Chelsea both heavily touted to prize the player away from the Camp Nou cathedral this summer.

Yesterday it was reported that the player has already agreed terms with Chelsea and that only a transfer fee between Chelsea and Barcelona was standing between Giovani moving to Stamford Bridge.