Nigeria international and Watford midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo is expected to be out for between four and five months due to a leg injury.
The 25-year-old Super Eagle tore a quad muscle in Watford’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle, and the club announced on Thursday that he would not return until the new year.
As a result, Etebo is set to miss the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, which begins on 9 January.
He will also miss Nigeria’s next four World Cup qualifiers, including the games against Central African Republic in October.
Etebo has won 39 caps for Nigeria and was part of the squad that beat Liberia 2-0 in a 2022 World Cup qualifier in September before being forced to miss the next tie in Cape Verde due to the UK’s coronavirus regulations.