Oscar Bobb is travelling to Barcelona for surgery on a fractured leg as Manchester City wait to learn exactly how long he will be sidelined.
Bobb was the star of City's pre-season tour and was set to begin the Premier League season on the right wing. He scored twice and offered four impressive assists in five pre-season games over the last month, earning praise from teammates and manager Pep Guardiola for his electric form.
But a freak injury in training this week was a cruel blow to the 20-year-old, who will now miss the start of the season. The hope is his lay-off may be as little as three months but the exact timeframe for his recovery will not be confirmed until he undergoes surgery with City's trusted doctor Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona. ALSO READ: Man City make £42m transfer decision over midfielder Pep Guardiola called 'incredible' ALSO READ: Man City get £150m transfer boost as Aston Villa fee clarity emerges for midfielder switch Only after the surgery and a full assessment of Bobb's initial recovery will City's medical teams be able to properly predict how long the Norwegian will be sidelined.
That assessment will also inform whether City return to the transfer market to sign any attacking replacement. Savinho has arrived for £33m from Troyes, but Julian Alvarez has left for Atletico Madrid but City still have plenty of options on both flanks and in the middle to cope with Bobb's layoff.