Stephen Kenny will be without Callum Robinson for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Portugal and Azerbaijan after he tested positive for Covid-19.
The Ireland boss names his squad on Thursday for a trio of crucial qualifiers but will have to shuffle the deck again after losing striker Robinson, who has been forced to sit out West Brom's Carabao Cup second round tie with Arsenal tonight.
The 26-year-old missed Ireland's October internationals last year as a close contact, before testing positive for coronavirus while on Ireland duty in November.
He will now miss the clash with Portugal in Faro on September 1 and the Aviva Stadium clash with Azerbaijan on the fourth.
If fit, Robinson will be able to return for the encounter with Serbia in Dublin three days later.
His absence for the Portugal and Azerbaijan fixtures is a blow to Kenny, as Robinson had been in good form at the start of the Championship season, scoring three goals in four games for the Baggies as they seek an immediate return to the Premier League.
The news was confirmed by WBA boss Valerian Ismael before the Arsenal game, a day after he admitted that two first team players had tested positive on their day off.
Robinson joins Chiedozie Ogbene on the sidelines after the Rotherham attacker was all but ruled out by the club earlier this week due to injury.
Kenny is expected to name Dundalk's Michael Duffy in his squad, while Shamrock Rovers' Danny Mandroiu could also make the cut.
