Bournemouth face a significant setback after forward Eli Junior Kroupi was confirmed to be facing three to four months on the sidelines with a foot injury, according to the BBC.
The young attacker had quickly established himself as a key figure for the Cherries, netting 13 goals in 33 Premier League appearances, and his absence is expected to leave a notable gap in the squad's attacking options.
Alexander Smith, senior reporter at the Daily Echo, described Kroupi as set to be "a big miss" for Bournemouth during his lengthy spell out of action, underlining just how important the forward had become to Andoni Iraola's side.
With Kroupi sidelined for potentially a third of the season, Bournemouth will need alternative sources of goals to maintain the momentum built last term. The club have not yet detailed a specific timeline for his return, but the injury represents a considerable blow ahead of a campaign in which the Cherries will be hoping to build on their recent progress in the Premier League.