Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has broken his cheekbone and is expected to be out for around three months.
Osimhen, 22, has been in fine form for high-flying Napoli this season, scoring five goals in 11 Serie A games this season.
He sustained the injury after 55 minutes of Napoli’s 3-2 loss to Inter Milan on Sunday, clashing heads with Milan Skriniar. It was Napoli’s first defeat of the season.
A Napoli statement said: “Victor Osimhen was operated on this morning by Prof. Tartaro, assisted by Dr. Mario Santagata and in the presence of Dr. Canonico, for a reduction and restraint operation of multi-fragmentary and displaced fractures of the malar bone, of the zygomatic arch and pommel, of the floor and lateral wall of the orbit, and of the diastasis of the frontal-zygomatic suture.
“The synthesis of the bone abutments was done with titanium plates and screws.
“The player is fine and will remain under observation for a few days.
“The prognosis is estimated to be around 90 days.”
Osimhen will now likely miss the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins on January 9. He has scored 10 goals for the national side, in 18 appearances.
He will also miss Napoli's
Europa League game against Leicester City next month. In three appearances in the competition this season, he has already scored four times.