PHIL JAGIELKA has dealt Everton a second major injury setback this week – as David Moyes admitted he does not envisage splashing the cash during the January transfer window.

Jagielka is expected to be sidelined until the New Year after undergoing surgery to repair a tear in his cartilage on Wednesday.

The centre-back has been absent since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the home defeat to Manchester City in April.

The 27-year-old was expected to begin light training this week, but has instead gone under knife again to fix the latest problem.

Everton were already reeling from the news Mikel Arteta will also be unavailable until next year after suffering further complications following his own cruciate surgery.

And disappointed Goodison manager Moyes said: "Jagielka had an operation this week on a tear in his meniscus in his cartilage. He had it done on Wednesday afternoon.

"We think he will be out for probably four to six weeks. He was due to start light non-contact training this week.

"It was just part of his rehabilitation. When you get your cruciate done, it nearly always damages your cartilage. What they do now, they don’t take your cartilage out, they save it. It tends to be there can be a wee tear in it, so they stitch it together to save it.

"But sometimes the other side of the cartilage is affected, and the other side has a nick in it. So they have sutured it back together.

"Most people who now get their cruciates done, it does sort of rip the cartilage. Joe Cole had the same thing, and that’s what has happened with Jags.

"He was down when he heard about it, but he is on the road to recovery now."