Hamburg's De Jong out for the rest of 2008

Hamburg have lost influential midfielder Nigel de Jong for the rest of the year with a knee injury.

De Jong has only just returned to training after tearing knee ligaments while playing for Holland against Iceland in October, but suffered a recurrence in training.

He has been examined by doctors both with the national team and Hamburg, and confirmed the bad news himself on Wednesday.

''I think that I will only be able to play again after the winter break,'' he said on the club's official website.

That will see him miss Hamburg's four remaining games this calendar year, as well as UEFA Cup matches against Ajax, Slavia Prague and Aston Villa.