Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario faces "months" on the sidelines after breaking his ankle in Saturday's 4-0 win at Manchester City, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said.
The Italy international needed treatment after a first-half collision with City winger Savinho at the Etihad but was able to finish the game.
The 28-year-old, who had surgery on Monday, has been a virtual ever-present since he signed for Tottenham in 2023 but Postecoglou will now have to turn to veteran back-up Fraser Forster.
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"It's not going to be weeks, it'll be months," Postecoglou said on Wednesday, adding he did not want to give a timeline.
"I think once we're past the rehab stage and he starts getting out (onto the training pitch), we'll have a clearer idea."
Postecoglou, speaking on the eve of his team's Europa League clash against Claudio Ranieri's Roma, said the severity of Vicario's injury come as a shock.
"We saw he'd picked up the injury during the game," he said.
"We saw him at halftime, but there was no doubt about him continuing.
"You digest that and then, post-game, he was sore but, you're kind of like, 'He's just played 60 minutes with a sore ankle, but we'll tape it up and go again'.
"Externally people now realise, it's a testament to him as a person. He's as tough as nails and tough as they come."
Postecoglou believes his team are making progress in his second season in charge – they are sixth in the Premier League and riding high in the Europa League table.
"I keep saying that we're a better side than we were last year and we want to keep improving and if we keep improving, the areas where there are gaps, we will slowly overcome," he said.