Everton fear that they could lose Anton Donkor for the rest of this season.
Donkor arrived from Wolfsburg last month to work with the Blues’ under-23 side but suffered an ankle problem in the Premier League Cup tie with Norwich City.
The highly-rated winger, 19, was sent back to his parent club for assessment on the injury as Everton officials brace themselves for the results later this week.
U23 boss David Unsworth admits that Donkor could face the prospect of surgery as well as his short-term spell on Goodison Park being prematurely curtailed.
“We’ve not really spoken about it because the first-team physios have been away,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“So I need to get results of the scan and decide what we are going to do.
“He is going to be out for a short while.
“Whether or not that keeps him out for the season or not, I’m not quite sure but hope to find out in the next couple of days.
“We’ve just been concentrating on the game with Southampton and the first-team have been away (in Dubai).
“We’ll come together in the next couple of days and decide what we’re going to do, I’m not sure if it requires an operation or not.”