Udinese star Gerard Deulofeu must undergo knee surgery, so he won’t leave the Dacia Arena in January.
The Spanish striker returned after an injury in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday but was forced off the pitch again ten minutes after being introduced from the bench in the second half.
Udinese have now confirmed that the striker will have to undergo surgery to increase the knee’s stability.
The operation will be performed at the private clinic Villa Stuart in Rome. Udinese say that the decision was taken after specialist consultation.
Deulofeu had been linked with a move to Aston Villa in January, but his injury means the Premier League side will have to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements.
The ex-Milan and Barcelona striker also emerged as an option for Roma to replace Nicolò Zaniolo.
It is still unclear when the Spaniard will return to action. He has been a key player for the Bianconeri this season, scoring two goals and delivering six assists in 16 Serie A matches.