Liverpool defender Joel Matip will miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury, the Premier League champions said on Tuesday.
Centre back Matip, who has been limited to 13 games in all competitions this season, sustained the injury during Liverpool’s goalless draw with local rivals Everton earlier this month.
He also missed their 4-0 home win over Crystal Palace last week.
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"This season I will be not back on the pitch but for next season, I hope I'm going to be quite early a direct help for the team," Matip told Liverpool's website.
The 28-year-old missed 84 days of action earlier in the campaign due to a knee injury before returning in January.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp does not believe he has to spend "millions" in the transfer market, saying it is a tricky task to improve his Premier League winners.
Klopp's side were last week crowned English champions for the first time in 30 years with a record seven games to go.
The coronavirus outbreak, which put the Premier League on hold for three months, is likely to have a significant impact on the football transfer market.
But Klopp said even if he had a significant war chest, spending it would not necessarily be easy or the right thing to do.
The club decided not to compete with Chelsea for RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner even though he had been heavily linked with a move to Anfield.
Fringe players Xherdan Shaqiri and Adam Lallana look likely to be among those who will be leaving the club.
The Liverpool boss said he had a "first 16 or 17" who could all play at the same level.
Agencies