Ipswich Town defender Damien Delaney will be out for up to three months after undergoing potentially career-saving surgery on a blood clot.
The Irishman, 27, suffered a dead leg when training in the Netherlands on Thursday and had an operation that day and on Monday to remove the clot.
Town manager Roy Keane told BBC Radio Suffolk: "He was very, very lucky.
"There was a lot of bleeding and they had to open up his leg. It could have been the end of his career."
Town were in the Netherlands to face PSV Eindhoven in a friendly on Saturday, a game they lost 1-0.
"Saturday was a really good night for us, PSV were really strong," said Keane.
"They're very experienced and very quick. We missed one or two of our senior players but it's a great opportunity for our younger players and they all did themselves no harm. I'm delighted."
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