Fofana suffered a sickening leg injury following a bad challenge from Villarreal’s Nino Fer in Leicester City’s final pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old was one of the revelations of the 2020/2021 season following a summer move from Saint Etienne as he made 38 appearances across all competitions to help Leicester win the FA Cup and finish fifth in the Premier League.
In Fofana’s absence, Leicester defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the Community Shield at Wembley on Saturday thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho’s 89th minute penalty but Rodgers provided some gloomy news on the Frenchman’s condition after the game.
"Fofana has his operation on Monday and he won't play until 2022,” Rodgers told reporters after the game.
"At what point that will be, we'll have to assess that in the next six months or so.
"In and around his medial ligament, there was a lot more damage there than we'd hoped. The scan showed up it was quite substantial damage there.
"He'll have his operation, and then he'll be back in the training ground on Thursday, Friday next week and begin his rehab then.
"It's such a shame for us. An incredible talent. But he's in really, really good spirits.
"It's such a shame, for the Premier League not to have a talent like that. Certainly for us it's a big blow."
Leicester will begin their 2021/2022 Premier League campaign with a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 14.
