Leicester midfielder Dennis Wise needs a thigh operation and will be out for the rest of the season.
The former Chelsea skipper, who moved to Filbert Street last summer, will have the operation on Tuesday.
Wise has been in Italy for the last five days seeing a specialist recommended to him by his former Stamford Bridge boss Gianluca Vialli.
But the hopes that treatment might cure the problem have been dashed and the 34-year-old will miss the last three-and-a-half months of City's bid to avoid relegation.
Foxes manager Dave Bassett is already resigned to being without defenders Gerry Taggart and Gary Rowett and midfielder Darren Eadie for the rest of the campaign.
In addition his recent signing, striker Brian Deane, tore a calf muscle in training last week which will keep him on the sidelines for up to a month.
Bassett said: "With the way things are going, you would think that either the chairman or myself have run over a black cat with the bad luck we are having.
"They say things get worse before they get better and let's hope so but all I can see at the moment is things going from bad to worse.
"I was keen to have Dennis fit and available because I wanted him to show leadership on the pitch. He has been hampered by this thigh for quite a while and it was discovered in Italy that he has a tear which needs surgery and he will be out for the season."
Bassett is resigned to not being able to bring in new blood, even on loan, because of the club's financial position.
He said: "It is difficult to get players on loan with the financial position of the club. We've got no money to spend. We've got to get on with what we've got but we are down to the bare bones."
- PA