Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor has said Sam Mewis is "very unlikely" to join up with the U.S. national team ahead of the SheBelieves Cup next week.
Mewis has not played since she injured her ankle in last month's USWNT friendly win over Colombia, missing Man City's past four league matches.
City have still managed to win all four of those games, including Friday's 3-0 victory over local rivals Manchester United.
What Taylor said about Mewis
"It was a difficult one that because they were close," the City boss said after Friday's game of Mewis and Demi Stokes, who is also injured.
"But again, as much as you want them in big games like this, or certainly having the option to use them from the bench, we had to look at the bigger picture.
"And the bigger picture was that, OK, what we might gain in the short term we could lose in the long term with all of the games that we have coming up soon.
"It's highly unlikely Sam is going to U.S. camp, so she'll stay with us, she'll continue with her rehabilitation.
"As will Demi, she won't go to the England camp. And that just gives us that opportunity to get them really ready for when we restart after the international break."
A blow for the USWNT
Mewis has been in strong form for the U.S. in recent games, scoring her first national team hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Colombia on January 18.
The 28-year-old, who was named the 2020 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, suffered the ankle injury in another game against Colombia four days later.
After the game, USWNT star Megan Rapinoe said Mewis is "the best player in our team right now."
The 2021 SheBelieves Cup
The USWNT will face Canada on February 18, Brazil on February 21 and Argentina on February 24 in the four-team SheBelieves Cup, which will take place in Orlando.
Argentina were a late addition after Japan pulled out due to coronavirus concerns.