Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele is facing at least six weeks out with ankle ligament damage.
The 31-year-old was injured just seven minutes into Saturday's 3-2 win at Wolves and is braced for a long lay-off after scans confirmed the club's prognosis which could see him miss the rest of the calendar year.
He will miss Tottenham’s fixtures against Inter Milan and Barcelona in the Champions League, plus games with Chelsea and Arsenal in Premier League.
The Belgium international is in the final year of his contract and has been attracting enquiries from China with a possible move in the offing for January.
Mauricio Pochettino will be disappointed by the news with Dembele such a key performer.
The robust midfielder has been feeling the toll in recent years of the physical demands of the Premier League and the club have been actively scouting to find a suitable replacement.
Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele and Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong have both been studied but their clubs are demanding between £40million to £55m.
Dembele has already missed four games due to a thigh injury earlier this season.
His absence leaves Spurs stretched in terms of midfield options, with Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier also currently missing through injury.
Wanyama may be fit to return from a knee injury at Palace on Saturday, but Dier's thigh strain is expected to keep him out until after the international break.
