Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhate is facing months on the sidelines after a thigh injury sustained last weekend against West Ham.
Niakhate, 26, joined Forest in a £9million move from Mainz last month but manager Steve Cooper revealed that tests on the central defender have revealed he will need a lengthy spell out.
‘He is out for a few months. He had a scan in the week and it didn’t come back too good,’ confirmed Cooper after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Everton.
‘It is a blow for him as he’d settled in well but these things happen. It’ll have to be the next man up and maybe it will change our view of the end of the transfer window, we will see. I don’t think we are finished with ins and outs.’
Niakhate was one of 16 players signed so far by newly-promoted Forest this summer.
It has been a busy summer for Cooper's side, and the Reds smashed their transfer record this month with the £42.5m signing of Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolves.
The addition takes the Tricky Trees' summer spending up to £150m in their attempt to build a side capable of avoiding Premier League relegation.
Forest's summer window has garnered widespread attention as they return to the top-flight for the first time in 23 years.
Cooper's side have amassed four points in their opening three games of the game, but will have felt hard-done-by after conceding an 88th minute equaliser at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The Reds host Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground in their next Premier League clash on Sunday, yet will have to do so without Niakhate.