Manu missed the start of the season after spending the summer recovering from a groin injury. And, with increased competition for places, the Frenchman will view the injury as a massive blow.

He revealed to L'Equipe "If everything goes well, I'll need four weeks of physiotherapy, so I'll need about six weeks before I can return to playing."

It was reported that Manu had merely received a knock to his knee in training which would require a period of rest. But that is obviously not the case.

And that leaves Claude Makelele as our only natural defensive midfielder, although Seba Veron occupies that role for Argentina...