Manchester City and Croatia’s defender, Joško Gvardiol, will undergo surgery this week for a fractured right leg, putting him out of action for months just ahead of the World Cup.

This news follows the injury to fellow defender Rúben Dias of Portugal, who will also be sidelined for up to six weeks due to a hamstring strain, as confirmed by coach Pep Guardiola.

There are speculations regarding a potential signing of Marc Guéhi, the captain of Crystal Palace, who had a prior deal with Liverpool fall through at the last moment.

Gvardiol and Dias were both injured during a recent match against Chelsea, which ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Manchester City trailing behind Premier League leaders Arsenal by six points. Gvardiol sustained a tibial fracture, according to a statement from City, who did not provide a timeline for his recovery.

Despite the absence of these crucial defenders, the reigning European champions are poised to advance to the Champions League round of 16 scheduled for March.

Croatia is set to kick off its World Cup journey against England on June 17 at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, followed by matches against Panama in Toronto and Ghana in Philadelphia. Gvardiol is expected to miss the warm-up games against Colombia and Brazil in March.