Nathan Patterson has suffered another setback in his fledgling Everton career as he faces ankle surgery.
Toffees boss Frank Lampard revealed on Tuesday the Scotland right-back has been to see a specialist regarding the issue and will be out for "a certain period of time".
The consultation yielded the conclusion the 20-year-old must go under the knife this week.
Lampard said: "In term of injuries, Nathan Patterson will be out for a certain period of time.
"He's been down to see a specialist about his ankle and we're looking at having a small operation this week.
"So he'll be out."
Patterson has barely featured under Lampard following his January move from the Premier League from Rangers and the manager later clarified his season could "possibly" be over.
The youngster's only outing since heading south has been a 45-minute appearance against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, during which he was subbed at half-time.
But the youngster looked in promising condition during the March international break as he turned in impressive Scotland performances against Poland and Austria.
With no timeline set for his return by Lampard and Scotland still scheduled to meet Ukraine in a World Cup play-off, the situation could prove a concern for manager Steve Clarke.
He's already sweating over the fitness of Arsenal's Kieran Tierney amid claims his season has been ended by a knee injury.
