Portsmouth fear that last season's top scorer Svetoslav Todorov could be out for the whole of the new Premiership season after scans revealed knee ligament damage.
The Bulgarian is out of Pompey's Premiership debut at home to Aston Villa tomorrow after being injured in training on Thursday.
Nigerian youngster Yakubu Aiyegbeni is likely to replace Todorov, who hit 26 goals in last season's First Division championship-winning campaign, and he is set to partner new signing Teddy Sheringham.
Other new boys Patrik Berger, Sebastien Schemmel, Dejan Stefanovic, Boris Zivkovic, Amdy Faye and goalkeeper Harald Wapenaar are all likely to make their debuts as well. Linvoy Primus, Tim Sherwood and Matthew Taylor remain injured.