Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez will miss the rest of the season after undergoing successful surgery on a groin issue.
The 23-year-old Argentina international will be absent for the club’s remaining six Premier League games of the 2023-24 season.
But he could target a return in time for the Copa America, which starts on 20 June.
Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica for a British record £107m transfer fee at the end of the 2023 winter transfer window.
That move came after he was named young player of the tournament during his country’s 2022 World Cup triumph.
Fernandez has made 40 appearances for the Blues in a difficult campaign for the club this season, scoring seven goals.
