WARRIORS’ key player Danny "Deco" Phiri faces around eight months on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon injury suffered during his team Golden Arrows’ training session on Tuesday.

It means Phiri, who has become a central figure in the Zimbabwe national team will most likely miss the Warriors’ next African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo in Brazzaville on March 23, 2018.

He will also be sorely missed by his club which takes on champions Bidvest Wits in an ABSA Premiership clash Wednesday night.

The Zimbabwean star, who played 24 league matches in his first season for Arrows last term, was scheduled for surgery late Tuesday.

"Yes, he has suffered an Achilles tendon [injury]. It happened at training. He was just about to run and take off and he pulled his Achilles tendon," Arrows coach Clinton Larsen told Kick Off.

"These things happen. It's part of the game. Normally it could be six to eight months [out]. It just depends on the player, depends on the recovery, depends on how the operation is done.

"So we'll just wait and see in the second half of the season whether he'll be back or not."

Phiri was sent off in the club's MTN8 opener against Bidvest Wits this season and was suspended for their next two matches against Ajax Cape Town and Bloemfontein Celtic.