Liverpool centre-back Sebastian Coates will miss the majority of the current season through injury, manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.
The news comes as a blow for the Reds who will now, according to Rodgers, be forced to bring in reinforcements.
"He's picked up a similar injury to what Martin Skrtel had last year. He'll probably be out for most of the season.
"It is disappointing for him because he has never given me a minute's problem and this was probably the year he would go out and play.
"[Bringing a new player in] is something that we are looking at."
Coates joined Liverpool from Nacional in 2011 and has made 12 Premier League appearances.
