Besic rules himself out for six months with injury

Football Soccer - Real Betis v Everton - Pre Season Friendly - DDV-Stadium, Dresden, Germany - 30/7/16 Everton's Muhamed Besic applauds fans after the game Action Images via Reuters / Hannibal Hanschke Livepic

REUTERS - Everton have been dealt an injury blow ahead of the new Premier League season, as midfielder Muhamed Besic has ruled himself out for six months after picking up an injury during Wayne Rooney's testimonial game.

The 23-year-old, who joined Everton from Hungarian club Ferencvaros in July 2014, was forced off just 12 minutes after coming on at Old Trafford on Wednesday, and British media said the midfielder has sustained a serious knee injury.

"Six months out! #devastated," Besic tweeted (@Mo_Besic).

The Bosnia international was restricted to just 12 league games last season after a succession of hamstring injuries as the Merseyside club finished 11th in the league table.

Everton begin their league campaign against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Aug. 13.

(Reporting by Nivedita Shankar in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)