Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger faces a further three weeks on the sidelines after undergoing groin surgery.
After overcoming a serious knee injury over the summer, Rudiger made his first appearance of the campaign on September 14, only to be withdrawn at half time against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Germany international has not featured in the first team since that game, and Frank Lampard revealed earlier this week that the centre-back was due to undergo tests on a pelvic injury.
According to the Daily Mail, that has resulted in the 26-year-old undergoing an operation in a bid to resolve the issue.
The development will likely see Rudiger miss Chelsea's next four games, which includes the trip to Manchester City after the international break.
Rudiger may hope to be back in contention for the Premier League clash with Aston Villa on December 4.
