Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma is set to be ruled out for the rest of the season with a back injury.
The 26-year-old Japan international did not feature for the Seagulls in their 1-1 Premier League draw with Everton due to the issue and his manager Roberto de Zerbi has confirmed that Mitoma may miss the remainder of the campaign.
"It's an important problem. I think two or three months, [so] finished [for] the season," said De Zerbi ahead of his side's FA Cup clash with Wolves on Wednesday.
"It's the back injury which kept him out against Everton."
A key man for Brighton in attack, Mitoma had already been sidelined with an ankle injury at the end of last year that forced him to miss a month of football and the majority of Japan's Asia Cup campaign - though he did feature as a sub for his country before they were knocked out in the last four of the competition by Iran.
Seagulls boss De Zerbi confirmed that his attacking options are dwindling fast: Mitoma's fellow forwards Evan Ferguson and Joao Pedro definitely out of the fifth round cup tie at Molineux - and Danny Welbeck set to take a late fitness test.
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NameKaoru Mitoma Born/Age1997-05-20(27 -yrs-old) Nationality Japan PositionForward (Left Wing) / Forward (Inside Forward) | |
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