Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans has been ruled out for up to 10 weeks to deepen their midfield injury crisis.
The Belgium international, 28, came off in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Newcastle with an ankle injury and checks have confirmed he is unlikely to return until April.
He is the latest key midfielder for the side currently lying third in the Premier League to suffer a serious injury in recent weeks. John McGinn has been sidelined for two months and Boubacar Kamara is out for the season, both with knee injuries.
Villa are close to signing their former midfielder Douglas Luiz on loan from Juventus to add cover.
“Tielemans is eight to 10 weeks out,” said manager Unai Emery on Wednesday. “Kamara is not going to play this season. McGinn is six to eight weeks out.
“After those updates of those players we need to manage the centre midfield in the matches we are going to play.”
Emery described the move for Luiz, who played for Villa between 2019 and 2024, as “close”.
Tammy Abraham joined Villa in an £18.5m deal on Tuesday and winger Leon Bailey has returned after spending the first half of the season on loan at Roma, while Donyell Malen signed for Roma earlier in the window.
Villa host Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday in the Europa League at Villa Park having already qualified for the knockout stage.