Antonio Valencia in danger of missing Copa America after undergoing ankle surgery

Ecuador could be without a major component of its squad for next month's Copa America.

Manchester United's Antonio Valencia, unbeknownst to almost everyone, underwent surgery on Monday, a procedure the Daily Telegraph reports was necessary to remove screws from his left ankle that were inserted when he sustained a broken leg in 2010.

The Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) has called a press conference for Tuesday to clarify Valencia's situation.

Valencia's absence would signal a massive blow to manager Gustavo Quinteros' plans should he be unavailable, with both his experience and versatility key elements of a team looking to reach the knockout stages of the competition for the first time since 1997.

Each team has until June 1 to name their final 23-man squad for the tournament.