Liverpool have revealed that Adam Lallana will be sidelined for up to two months.
Lallana suffered a thigh injury during the first half of his side’s Audi Cup final defeat to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
The England international’s problem was initially not thought to be serious but scans have since revealed that he faces an extended spell on the sidelines.
It means Jurgen Klopp will be without the influential midfielder until October at the earliest.
Klopp conceded that Lallana is likely to miss the first two months of Liverpool’s season, beginning with next weekend’s Premier League opener at Watford.
“This is certainly not news we would have wanted,” he told Liverpoolfc.com.
“Unfortunately, the damage is such that it will likely mean Adam is out for a couple of months not weeks, so I think we can pretty much rule him out of August and September.
“Beyond that we will monitor and wait and see.
“He is a boy with a world-class attitude to everything professionally and he has always come back in good time from injury setbacks since I have been here, so we will see.”
Lallana becomes the second injury blow Liverpool have suffered this summer with Nathaniel Clyne already ruled out of the trip to Vicarage Road by a back issue.