Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is set to undergo surgery on his injured left knee on Tuesday as he looks to make a full recovery from the setback.
The Senegal international suffered the injury during the Merseyside derby earlier this month, and has since been absent with Jurgen Klopp confirming the worst last week.
Mane will miss the rest of this season, which could yet prove hugely costly to the Merseyside giants in terms of their aspirations of finishing in the top four in the Premier League.
Such has been the 25-year-old’s influence, with 13 goals and eight assists in 29 appearances in all competitions, he will be a major loss to Liverpool for the run-in.
Nevertheless, Klopp and supporters alike will hope that surgery mends the problem and allows him to get a full pre-season under his belt ahead of another important campaign next year, with Sky Sports confirming the news that is set to go under the knife on Tuesday.
It will be made all the better if Liverpool are able to hold on to a top-four finish and thus qualify for the Champions League, but time will tell whether or not their win over Stoke City at the weekend can spark them into a run of form without the influential Mane, or if a quick-fire double was enough to mask bigger problems.
All-in-all, the hope is that Mane recovers fully and swiftly from his untimely setback as the former Southampton man certainly established himself as one of the most exciting players in the Premier League this season.