Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will undergo hernia surgery next week, Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur said on Friday, adding that the procedure could sideline the 29-year-old Italian international for a month.
Vicario has appeared in every league game for Spurs this season, as they sit one point above the bottom three in the standings.
"The minor procedure... has been timed to have as minimal an impact on our season as possible," said Spurs, who will go into a three-week international break after Sunday's league game against Nottingham Forest.
Vicario was not included in Italy's squad for Thursday's World Cup playoff against Northern Ireland. He last appeared for Italy in a 2-0 win over Moldova in November.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma was the Italy keeper in a 4-1 loss to Norway three days later that forced the team into the playoffs while Norway qualified for the World Cup.
"It is hoped that he (Vicario) could return to action within the next month," Spurs added.