Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen could reportedly miss up to 10 weeks with the ankle injury he sustained during Saturday's 4-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
The 29-year-old left the field in tears during the second half at White Hart Lane, with manager Mauricio Pochettino confirming after the game that the injury looked "bad".
Scans have now shown that the problem is between a grade two and grade three, which could mean that Spurs will have to make do without the Belgium international until the latter stages of March.
Vertonghen is expected to miss at least six weeks with the problem, which would rule him out of as many as eight matches, including title showdowns with Manchester City and Liverpool.
However, despite suffering such a blow to Tottenham's title hopes, Pochettino reportedly has no plans to enter the January transfer market in an attempt to find cover for the defender.
Spurs, who now sit second in the Premier League table, face Man City at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.
Barney Corkhill
