Schalke midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has been ruled out of action this year with a problematic ankle injury.
The 27-year-old has failed to recover from the setback which ruled him out of their 2-1 defeat at home to Koln last weekend.
The Ghanaian international will mis Schalke’s next game at Paderborn on Wednesday and will not be involved again until next year.
The latest setback means he will not play for the Royal Blues this year again and rules him out of a potential call-up into the Black Stars ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations which starts in mid January.
Boateng’s rather fine career has been blighted by recurrent injuries which has affected his form and influence in the Schalke team.