Djetou: On the sidelines (Pic/Empics)

The French international defender was brought in on a year's loan from Italian side Parma only a month ago and has yet to make his Fulham debut. He has returned to France for treatment on his knee and could be unavailable until the end of September.

The loss will be a blow to Fulham manager Jean Tigana, whose team play their first Premiership game of the season against Bolton at Loftus Road tomorrow, as he is a long-term admirer of Djetou after managing the 27-year-old at his former club Monaco.

Tigana tried to sign Djetou last year when he left the French side for Parma in a £6.5million deal and a permanent transfer to Fulham was discussed when the loan move was agreed. But a cartilage problem was discovered during one of his first training sessions in London and an operation has since been carried out.

Djetou said: "I will do everything I can to return to London quickly because I really want to get a taste of the Premiership."

Better news for Tigana is that defender Steve Finnan, who had an ankle problem, and midfielder Lee Clark, who missed the end of last season with an Achilles tendon injury, played in a reserve game on Wednesday and could be in the squad.