Richarlison is reportedly set to spend the next four weeks on the Tottenham sidelines.
The Brazilian came on as a substitute in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, only to hobble off again 26 minutes later. Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has been waiting to discover the extent of the damage to his forward's hamstring while tests were conducted this week.
And he has not been given good news. According to journalist Paul O'Keefe, Richarlison will be out for a 'minimum' of four weeks.
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The 27-year-old had only been back for five games after a groin strain which kept him out for almost two months. Richarlison made it clear that the outlook was bleak when he posted a heartbroken Instagram message on Wednesday. "Difficult moment that will be overcome again," wrote Brazil's No 9.
"[I] was very happy training and playing. And suddenly the injury comes again. [It's] hard to talk at a time like this. I only ask that you pray for me and that God gives me protection."
His absence adds to Postecoglou's injury worries, with Cristian Romero's toe injury being continually assessed, Wilson Odobert suffering a 'serious setback' shortly after returning to fitness, and Micky van de Ven likely to miss the next two games.
Richarlison has took time to settle in at Spurs following a £60million switch from Everton in the summer of 2022. Alarm bells rang when he managed just one Premier League goal in his first season, but he kicked on to hit 12 in all competitions last term.
Though not a guaranteed starter, the former Watford star is an important member of Postecoglou's squad. And depth is a key requirement for the north Londoners, who are in the midst of a taxing Europa League campaign and vying for a strong run in the Carabao Cup.
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The upcoming international break will at least limit the number of games Postecoglou is without Richarlison. If the four-week projection proves to be accurate, he will miss clashes with Galatasaray, Ipswich Town, Manchester City, Roma and Fulham before returning at Bournemouth in early December.
Spurs are currently seventh in the Premier League table and a tough fight for the top four is set to take shape over the course of the campaign. Chelsea, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are seen as prominent contenders for fourth spot behind title challengers Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal.
