Tino Livramento is set to be sidelined until 2023 at Southampton after suffering a serious knee injury against Brighton.
Livramento is due to undergo surgery once the swelling has sufficiently subsided though he is facing an estimated eight to nine months out following initial scans which confirmed a significant an ACL injury, says the Daily Mail.
The 19 year-old was forced off early after twisting his leg awkwardly in an innocuous challenge with Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu in Sunday's 2-2 comeback draw.
The shocked England under-21 defender received oxygen and was carried off on a stretcher after the incident which has brought his brilliant debut season in senior football to a premature end.
One consolation for Livramento as he prepares to go under the knife and for an extended period on the sidelines is that two big periods of his lay off will be during the close season and World Cup in Qatar at the end of this year, reducing the amount of Southampton action he will miss.
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!