Kevin De Bruyne will miss Manchester City's game against Bournemouth on Saturday and is doubtful for the clash with Chelsea on December 8.
Sources have told Goal that De Bruyne is not yet back in training with the City squad and is definitely out of the meeting with the Cherries.
The trip to Watford on Tuesday had been regarded as a possible return date, although given the Belgian's lack of training that is currently considered unlikely.
If he is not able to play at Vicarage Road then it would make the chances of a return to the starting line-up at Chelsea very slim.
The 27-year-old is currently recovering from his second knee injury of the season, having been fallen on by Timothy Fosu-Mensah during the Carabao Cup game against Fulham on November 1.
That was only his second start of the campaign after he had injured his other knee in training back in August.
City were careful in their management of the De Bruyne’s previous return to action; he had been pushing for a place on the bench for City’s trip to Liverpool on October 7, though the club decided to leave him out with a view to him returning to full fitness after that month’s international break.
He was expected to be back to his best for the game against Tottenham on October 29, and though he had returned to action as a substitute against Burnley and then started against Shakhtar Donetsk in previous games, the state of the Wembley pitch ensured no risks were taken.
Yet the unfortunate injury sustained against Fulham just three days later ruled him out for another four to six weeks.
Given the Belgian has previously recovered well from knee injuries it had been hoped around City that he could return against Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea, five weeks after his latest set-back.
Although he is currently regarded as unlikely to return to the starting XI against the Londoners, there remains a possibility that he could be named in City’s travelling squad depending on his progress once he returns to training.
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