Fulham's new signing Alfie Mawson will miss the start of the Premier League season as the centre back recovers from a knee injury, manager Slavisa Jokanovic has said.
The highly-rated Mawson joined from Swansea City this month in a four-year deal worth £15million.
However the 24-year-old has been ruled out of at least three league matches as he battles for fitness after having surgery in May.
'He won't be ready. We will be waiting between two and three weeks for him to start working with us,' Jokanovic told the Evening Standard.'I don't expect he can help us before September.'
After Fulham's opening league match against Crystal Palace on August 11, Mawson will also be absent for the games against Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.
Jokanovic has looked to add extra cover in defence by making a move to sign Arsenal's Calum Chambers on loan.
Fulham are back in the top flight for the first time since the 2013-14 season, after beating Aston Villa in last season's Championship play-off final.