Leicester have confirmed Jamie Vardy will be out for eight weeks with a hamstring strain.
The striker, who turns 35 on Tuesday, suffered the injury during the Foxes' Premier League victory against Liverpool in December.
The news is a huge blow for Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, who was initially expecting Vardy to be out for between three to four weeks.
The former England international won't require surgery, yet his complaint still leaves Rodgers short of options up front.
Fellow striker Patson Daka is also nursing an injury, while Kelechi Iheanacho will represent Nigeria at this month's Africa Cup of Nations.
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"Jamie will be out for a number of weeks," confirmed Rodgers ahead of Leicester's FA Cup tie against Watford on Saturday afternoon.
"It's been unfortunate for him but we're looking at up to eight weeks. He'll be out for a period of time.
"His is the higher end of his hamstring, you are looking into March for Jamie. He doesn't need an operation and that was the only good news from it."
Rodgers will also be without Jonny Evans for a while, after the former Manchester United centre-back had surgery on a hamstring injury.
"He has had an operation so he will be [out until] April, with his hamstring he needed that," added the Leicester boss.
Up to 17 players could miss Leicester's game against Watford, which is expected to go ahead as planned despite recent postponements. The Foxes are the defending champions.
Other absentees include Ricardo Pereira (knee), Wesley Fofana (ankle), James Justin (knee), Nampalys Mendy and Daniel Amartey (both AFCON).
Speaking last month, Rodgers blamed frequent injuries on English football's packed schedule.
Leicester could play up to six games in all competitions this month and have three games in hand after Covid-related postponements.
Due to their European commitments, the Foxes could still have another 35 games in all competitions to play this season (not including FA Cup replays).
"It’s no good if you’re really fatigued because you played two days earlier in a huge game," said Rodgers.
"If you end up with an ACL injury or broken leg because you’re making a tired tackle, or some guy tackles you with a clumsy tackle, that’s when it’s an issue.
"That can affect a player’s livelihood. He may never play again or it might push him back in his career, and fatigue will play a huge part in that."
Rodgers is not the only Premier League manager to question English football's schedule.
"The situation should not be like this and we can discuss this every year," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp last month.
"It's tradition and we want to play on Boxing Day, we could have played on Boxing Day and that would have been no problem at all.
"But playing on the 26th and the 28th is just not right, I just say that because it's true and I think we can find solutions for that.
"It's not that difficult to play football in a slightly different way. The 26th and the 29th, where's the problem?"
