Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson is facing surgery on a thigh injury that could keep him out of action until August.
Henderson is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, but he has not played since mid-January after tearing a muscle in his right thigh in a game against Leicester.
The 26-year-old was initially ruled out for up to six weeks but it emerged over the weekend that he will not play again this season.
The situation could be even worse if Henderson is forced to undergo an operation that would keep him on the sidelines for an additional three months.
That could impact his future at United where he is under contract until 2025. Henderson would be one of the options to take over as No.1 if the club cannot agree new terms with David de Gea.
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The Spaniard, who will become a free agent at the end of next month unless United trigger a one-year extension, has agreed to take a pay cut on his £375,000-a-week salary but the two sides are understood to be well apart in negotiations.
On the other hand, Henderson has made it clear that he has no wish to return to Old Trafford as back-up keeper to De Gea and is likely to be sold if his rival signs a new deal.
Both scenarios would be more complicated if Henderson has surgery and cannot play until August, with the transfer window set to close on September 1.