Torino defender Nikola Maksimovic is set to face three months on the sideline after suffering a broken foot while on international duty with Serbia.
The defender has established himself as a regular under Giampiero Ventura, having featured for the Granata 35 times last term.
It is rumoured that the Serb sustained his injury during training, with Sky Italia reporting that Maksimovic will require surgery.
The Torino medics flew out to Serbia yesterday to make a diagnosis of the player's condition, with Torino having rejected offers from Napoli this past summer for his signature.
A big blow to the Granata
Should confirmation arrive that Maksimovic will, indeed, spend the next three months on the treatment table, Ventura will be forced to do without a vital component of his famed three man backline.
The Serb has forged an infrangible partnership alongside Kamil Glik and Emiliano Moretti over the years and the trio were generally viewed as the figures who could cushion the blow of losing Matteo Darmian to Manchester United in the summer.
Torino leaked the fifth fewest goals in the top ten last campaign (45) and have seemingly translated their resolute defensive displays into the new season. The Granata helped themselves to a 2-1 victory over Frosinone on matchday one before they ran out convincing 3-1 victors over Fiorentina this past Sunday evening.
Missing key clashes
Though the Serb played a prominent role in Torino's 3-1 victory over Fiorentina, he is set to miss several key matches over the coming months with a definitive return date yet to be established.
The club host Sampdoria, who have begun the campaign brightly under Walter Zenga, before travelling to Chievo in successive weeks, a side who fired four past Lazio and currently reside at the summit of the division.
Torino then face a tricky stretch of ties against the aforementioned Lazio, before travelling to Juventus a fortnight later.