Tahith Chong will return to Manchester United for treatment after sustaining a groin injury on loan at Birmingham.
Chong, 21, has been on loan at Birmingham this season following previous loan spells at Werden Bremen and Club Brugge.
The Dutchman was held in high regard in United's academy after joining from Feyenoord in 2016, however, he's since failed to establish himself in the first team despite making his debut under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the FA Cup in January 2019.
It was announced in the summer that Chong would join Birmingham on loan this term to accelerate his development again.
Chong has made 13 appearances for Lee Bowyer's side in the Championship this season, and picked up plenty of plaudits, playing in a number of different roles.
But he's now sustained a groin injury in training, which is set to rule him out for most of the campaign and he will return to United to begin his rehabilitation.
"We're going to need bodies in January," Bowyer told the BBC.
"I feel so sorry for Tahith Chong because his injury is so hard to explain. It's crazy. There was no one near him when it happened. It was a five-yard pass from off the pitch playing it back on and he damaged his groin area.
"It's a massive loss, but he'll come back stronger from this. He should, unless he has any setback, make the last few games.
"We'll not turn our backs on him and say that's it. He's been great for us. He's played a big part. He's played every minute, near enough."
Chong's contract at United expires in the summer of 2022, which means he could soon be available on a free transfer.
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