Anthony Martial has been ruled out for 10 weeks following groin surgery as his Manchester United career continues to fizzle out.
The news that Martial will be missing until the start of April means manager Erik ten Hag will be short of firepower during the second half of the season, with United unlikely to sign a replacement in the January transfer window.
It also places a question mark over whether Martial, 28, will play for the club again as he prepares to depart Old Trafford in the summer.
United are not extending his £250,000-a-week contract, meaning the Frenchman can leave as a free agent nine years after signing from Monaco in a transfer that made him the most expensive teenager in world football.
Martial cost £36million but the deal was worth up to £58m including add-ons. The erratic forward, who had a spell on loan at Sevilla two years ago, has scored 90 goals in 317 games in a United career disrupted by injury.
Anthony Martial will miss ten weeks of action after undergoing surgery to resolve a groin issue
Martial could have played his last game for the club with his contract expiring this summer
United are not preparing to sign a striker to replace Martial in the January transfer window
Mail Sport revealed last week that Martial was training on his own to regain fitness after being absent since early-December through illness, and his agent Philippe Lamboley confirmed he had a groin problem that would require an operation.
A United statement yesterday (wed) said: ‘Anthony Martial has completed successful surgery to address a groin complaint and will be out of action for about 10 weeks as he rehabilitates.’
It leaves United with just one recognised striker in Rasmus Hojlund. The club have signed Wout Weghorst and Odion Ighalo on loan in previous January windows, but are not expecting to bring in a replacement for Martial due to Financial Fair Play restrictions on their budget.
Sources have not completely ruled out a new signing but continue to dismiss speculation linking the club with former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, who wants to leave Saudi club Al-Ittihad, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Bayern Munich and Ajax striker Brian Brobbey.
