Everton defender Lucas Digne is facing a potentially lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining an ankle injury in training.
The club have confirmed he will now require surgery on damaged ligaments. There is no confirmation on his time out but reports in his homeland have claimed the France left-back could be unavailable for two months.
It means Everton are set to be without their first-choice left back – and one of their prime creators – over the busy December period which will see Everton take on Chelsea, Wolves, West Ham, Arsenal and Manchester City in a potentially tough run.
Digne has missed only five Premier League matches since he joined the club in the summer of 2018 from Barcelona for £18m.
Meanwhile, Everton midfielder Andre Gomes admits he is still trying to get back to full fitness after his horrific fracture dislocation to his right ankle 12 months ago.
"The truth is, I am still trying to find my best feeling, to get fit, to get ready to be 100 per cent for all the game," the Portugal international told Everton's matchday programme ahead of Saturday's visit of Leeds.
"In the past months, with the pandemic, it was hard for me physically.
"When we came back after the first lockdown, I had a really small injury in one place, then something else in another place, because I was trying to compensate coming from the big injury.
"I came from a big injury and tried to get in perfect shape and feel really good on the pitch and work on that.
"It is part of my job to do my best to get back in the side. It has been hard this season."
PA
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