The 23 year old was stretchered from the field with a broken tibia and fibula less than 10 minutes into the match with Perth Glory Youth after being on the end of a nasty challenge from Glory captain Steven Hesketh.

Sarkies, who is bound for new A-League club Melbourne Heart when his United contract expires after the Asian Champions League group stage, may have played his last game for the Reds following the ugly incident.

The midfielder, who was having a run with the Adelaide youth team on his return from a quad injury, was taken to hospital where X-rays revealed he had fractured both of the bones in his lower right leg.

"He has broken both the tibia and fibula and will have surgery tomorrow afternoon to have a metal rod inserted into the tibia," Adelaide United Club Doctor James Ilic said.

Ilic confirmed that the nature of the fractures is likely to see Sarkies sidelined for six months.

"Hopefully he will be able to resume playing sport in six months providing there are no complications," Ilic said.

Sarkies has made 44 appearances for the Reds in all competitions since he signed in March 2007, but it has not been without interruption after he was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis at the start of 2008 and was hampered by soft tissue injuries for extended parts of the 2009/10 season.

The midfielder has represented Australia at senior, U/23, U/20 and U/17 level and his 11 Hyundai A-League appearances this season had started to show the form that he is capable of producing.

The news is another setback for the Reds just three days out from hosting reigning title holders the Pohang Steelers in their openig match of the ACL campaign.