Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze could be out injured until the new year after sustaining an Achilles injury in training.
The £16m signing from QPR is due to see a specialist on Wednesday to establish the extent of the injury, which occurred in training on Tuesday.
The worst-case outcome is that Eze will miss between six to eight months, effectively ruling him out until well into the winter and potentially into 2022.
Eze, who represented England at Under 20 and Under 21 level, has scored four goals in 29 Premier League starts for Crystal Palace this season.
Palace boss Roy Hodgson was not aware of the severity of the injury when he gave his press conference on Tuesday.
Hodgson was speaking to the media ahead of Palace’s fixture against Arsenal on Wednesday night, the 73-year-old’s final home game at Selhurst Park after he announced this week he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson says his decision to step away from the club and from football was one that took him a long time.
“After more than 45 years of coaching I have decided that the time is right for me to step away from the rigours of top-flight Premier League football, so our final two matches will be my last ones as manager of Crystal Palace,” Hodgson said on Tuesday.
“It’s been a particularly rewarding period of my football life and career to have been able to spend these last four seasons with Palace. I feel now that at the end of another successful season, in which we have secured our Premier League status, the moment is right for me to step down from my responsibilities of being a full-time manager.”