Arsenal defender Ben White faces 'months' on the sidelines, manager Mikel Arteta has revealed.
The 27-year-old has undergone surgery on a knee injury and will not be back until well into the new year.
'Ben White is going to be out for months, unfortunately,' said Arteta on the eve of Saturday's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.
White had featured in 12 of Arsenal's 17 games in all competitions so far this season.
The versatile defender had been playing through pain in recent weeks.
As a result, the Gunners decided that the international break was an ideal period to resolve the problem.
It was initially suggested that he might be back in action within six weeks of his surgery.
However, Arteta said on Friday: 'It's been different kinds of struggles.
'It's never been the same thing. It's not been improving. It got to a point a where we have to protect the player and let him have surgery.
'Unfortunately it's going to be a few months. We have to see how he reacts post-surgery.'
However, Arteta also had some positive injury news on Friday as he confirmed that Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori would all be available to face Forest.
'They've had their first session today and are very good,' Arteta added.