Borussia Dortmund has suffered a major blow as Youssoufa Moukoko, the club's highly-rated young forward, is out for up to six months with a knee injury.

The 17-year-old had been in excellent form this season, scoring five goals and providing two assists in his first eight games for the Bundesliga side.

However, he was forced off in the second half of their recent match against Hertha Berlin due to the injury, which means he will be missing the rest of the season and could also miss the World Cup later this year.

Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel said: "It's a huge disappointment for us that Weiss is injured again. He's a very important player for us and we're all very disappointed for him."

Tuchel added: "We have to find someone who can step up and fill the gap left by Moukoko. It's going to be tough but we'll do our best to make sure we have a strong team."

Moukoko joined Dortmund from Red Star Belgrade last summer and has already made a name for himself on the international stage, representing Belgium at Under-21 level.

He has scored four goals and provided three assists in just nine appearances for the senior Belgian national team so far.

The injury is a major setback for Dortmund, who are currently fourth in the Bundesliga table and face a difficult run of fixtures ahead.

But they will need to rely on their experienced players to step up and provide some much-needed goal-scoring support.

In conclusion, Youssoufa Moukoko's injury is a big blow for Borussia Dortmund, but they will have to rely on their other talented young players to fill the gap left by his absence. The club will now look to secure a strong finish to the season and hope to bounce back next term.