Doctors in China have failed in their efforts to save Guinea midfielder Ousmane Bangoura's right eye.
The 26-year-old ruptured his eyeball during a league match for his Super League club Shenyang Ginde earlier this month.
After an unsuccessful initial operation in Shenyang, Bangoura was transferred to a Beijing hospital where doctors were able to save his eye after a three-hour operation, but not his vision.
Bangoura joined Shenyang from Belgium's Charleroi in April after playing a leading role in the Syli Nationale's march to the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup in Egypt.
Chinese media have reported that Bangoura's family are preparing a civil suit against Lu Gang, the player who damaged his eye.
Lu expressed regret for Bangoura's loss in comments carried by China's Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.
"I would like to say sorry to him a million times," said Lu.
"I dare not ask him to forgive me because I cannot forgive myself in the first place, but I want to do something to redeem my mistake."
He added that he hoped to organise a charity match for Bangoura and would compensate him "even without a court order."
Bangoura's medical treatment is being covered by his club but future compensation will need to be negotiated between the two parties.
"We never wanted to see this happen," a club official said.
"We haven't properly considered the next step".