Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike could be out until 2027 after suffering a suspected Achilles injury during his side's Champions League quarter-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain.
The French striker was forced off the pitch on a stretcher following a serious leg problem just 31 minutes into the 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Tuesday evening.
Medical staff will conduct scans to establish the precise nature of the setback, with the full extent of the damage yet to be confirmed.
Should the worst fears prove accurate, the 23-year-old could be sidelined for between six and nine months.
Hugo Ekitike is facing a significant spell out through injury with his World Cup likely over
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Arne Slot delivered a grim assessment following the match, acknowledging the severity of what he witnessed.
"Hugo looks really bad but it's difficult for me to say how bad," the Liverpool manager said. "Tomorrow we will investigate this further, (see) how bad this is for him. Let's see. But it doesn't look good."
Slot revealed he had been unable to speak with his injured forward, noting Ekitike had already departed for home before he could reach him after the final whistle.
Defender Ibrahima Konate expressed his concern for his teammate. "I'm very sad for him. I think it is bad. I don't know. I send him my prayers and everything," he said.
An absence stretching to nine months would keep Ekitike out of action until January 2027, ruling him out for the remainder of this campaign and the opening months of next season.
Hugo Ekitike suffered the blow at a horrific time for the Frenchman, having been seen as a shoo-in for the France squad to travel to the World Cup this summer
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The injury represents a significant blow given Ekitike's impressive form since arriving at Anfield.
The forward has netted 19 goals for club and country during the current campaign following his £79m transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer.
His setback came at a particularly unfortunate moment, coinciding with Alexander Isak's return from an ankle fracture that had kept the British record signing out since December.
Arne Slot will now be without his star striker for the remainder of the season
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The defeat at Anfield sealed a comprehensive 4-0 aggregate loss to the reigning European champions, bringing Liverpool's continental campaign to a disappointing conclusion.
PSG had already established a commanding two-goal advantage from the first leg, and their victory on Merseyside confirmed their passage to the semi-finals.
The result compounds what has been a challenging 2025/26 season for Liverpool, with the club unable to field their expensive attacking trio of Ekitike, Isak and Florian Wirtz together consistently due to various injury problems throughout the campaign.