Aston Villa defender Jordan Amavi will miss the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury, the Barclays Premier League club have announced.

The 21-year-old suffered the injury during France Under-21s' win over Northern Ireland on Thursday night.

A Villa statement read: "Aston Villa can confirm defender Jordan Amavi has been ruled out for the rest of the 2015-16 Premier League season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

"Everyone at the club wishes Jordan a speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on a football pitch as soon as possible."

The left-back was injured after making a challenge in the second half of the European Under-21 qualifier in Guingamp and was taken to hospital before undergoing scans on Friday.

Losing Amavi is a significant blow to new Villa boss Remi Garde, who replaced Tim Sherwood earlier this month.

Amavi has made 12 appearances since joining from Nice in the summer and was recalled by Garde for his first game in charge as Villa drew 0-0 with Manchester City immediately prior to the international break.

That result ended a run of seven straight league defeats for Villa but they remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League standings and five points adrift of safety.