Bournemouth have suffered a major injury blow ahead of next Tuesday's trip to Chelsea after star striker Evanilson underwent surgery on a broken foot.

The Brazilian, who joined the Cherries for a club record £40.2million from Porto in the summer, has scored five goals in 19 appearances so far this season. He opened his account on the south coast against Southampton in September and has since scored against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Brentford and Fulham.

However, Bournemouth are now going to have to deal without Evanilson for the foreseeable future. The 25-year-old forward limped off in the 82nd minute of Saturday's 1-0 win over Everton and it has since been confirmed that he has had a successful procedure on a fractured metatarsal.

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A club statement read: "We can confirm Evanilson has undergone a successful procedure to repair a fractured metatarsal sustained during Saturday's 1-0 win over Everton.

"Another tireless performance from the Brazilian striker, who has been instrumental in the club's recent good form, was brought to an end when he was substituted with discomfort in the final stages. Further assessment following the match revealed a broken bone that would require surgery.

"The club's medical staff will now provide Evanilson with their full support through the rehabilitation process, ensuring he has the best possible recovery. Everybody at AFC Bournemouth sends their best wishes to Eva, and we hope to see him return to the field soon."

Evanilson is now set to miss next Tuesday's clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The former Fluminense man missed a penalty in the reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium but his absence is no doubt a huge blow for Bournemouth, with Enes Unal expected to deputise in his absence.

Despite this, the Cherries head into the clash with Chelsea off the back of a club record unbeaten run in the Premier League. They have not lost any of their last eight matches in the competition dating back to November, winning five and drawing three. Bournemouth sit seventh in the table, three points behind Enzo Maresca's Blues.