The 19-year-old had to be substituted just 30 minutes into Sunday's 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar in the A-League and scans have since revealed the full extent of the ligament damage.

It is a blow for coach Miron Bleiberg as Gold Coast look to rediscover the form they enjoyed at the start of the season that saw them shoot to to the top of the standings.

"Adama is important to the way we want to play. It's a shame that we won't have him with us for a while," Bleiberg said.

"We will miss him as he has been an outstanding performer for us and has played in every game since round two. A replacement for a player like him is not easy to find and we will consider our options in the coming days."

United physio David Battersby explained the comeback route for Traore will be a methodical process, with at least a month to pass before the speedy defender can begin running.

"It's a grade two injury, so Adama will wear a brace for a couple of weeks then gradually start some movement," Battersby said.

"Typically, after an injury like this, it's at least four weeks before the player can resume running, with contact training coming some time after that."

Bleiberg has one tailor-made option for the left-back role in Brazilian wing-back/midfielder Anderson, who is currently occupying a place on the United roster as an injury replacement player for his compatriot, Jefferson.

The head coach added: "In the short-term, we are fortunate to have a player like Anderson with us, who may be able to fill the void left by Adama's absence."