Arsenal full-back Mathieu Debuchy is waiting to hear whether he will need to have surgery for a second time this season, after he injured his shoulder in Sunday's 3-0 Premier League win against Stoke.
Debuchy underwent ankle surgery shortly after his arrival at Arsenal from Newcastle during the summer transfer window and has only played six Premier League games since his return to action in mid-November.
Yet he is now set to spend another spell on the sidelines, with a number of reports suggesting he could be out for up to three months if it is deemed his dislocated shoulder requires an operation.
Debuchy's latest injury could have an impact on Arsene Wenger's plans in this month's transfer window, with the Gunners manager suggesting previously that he may not need to sign additional players if his entire squad remained fully fit.
But doubts over the long-term fitness of centre-back Laurent Koscielny and the setback to Debuchy could force the Arsenal manager to make a move for a defender in the next three weeks.
Wenger has confirmed that he is interested in signing Polish defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik from Legia Warsaw, although they face competition from Hamburg, while he has also been heavily linked with a move for Ipswich's highly rated Tyrone Mings.
However, Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy is keen to hang on to Mings in this transfer window as he pushes for a return to the Premier League.
"He's not going anywhere. You might as well hear that from me," McCarthy said. "He might as well hear that as well. That's always the case, they think, 'Is it going to happen, isn't it going to happen?'
"Why would he not want to try and get promoted with us? We're in a really good position."