Dortmund winger Andre Schurrle has been ruled out for around a month with a thigh muscle injury and will miss the start of the Bundesliga season later this week, the club confirmed on Wednesday.
The German international had just recovered from another injury and managed to play 60 minutes in Dortmund's German Cup first round tie against Rielasingen-Arlen on Saturday.
The club said in a statement: "He will have to take a break for about four weeks."
It is unknown when the player was injured but it is likely that Schurrle will not be available for selection for Germany's upcoming World Cup qualifiers agaomst the Czech Republic in Prague on September 1 and Norway in Stuttgart on September 4.
The situation could be compounded for boss Peter Bosz with the loss another winger, Ousmane Dembele, as his proposed move to Barceclona moves ever closer.
A huge deal worth £90 million has been agreed between the two clubs but the German side want an additional £30m in performance-related add-ons.
While Dortmund would benefit hugely from the transfer in financial terms, the loss of Dembele, along with Schurrle's injury, would leave the German side short at the beginning of the season.
Dortmund have qualified for this year's Champions League after finishing third in the Bundesliga last year and they open their domestic campagain at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also been linked with a move away from the German outfit.