MARINERS midfielder Mickael Tavares is flying to Europe in a bid to avoid surgery on his ankle that could rule him out for much of the season.

Tavares is to see a specialist in France who previously helped him with a similar ankle injury, in the hope he can avoid having a procedure to overcome a lesion that his causing him pain.

His temporary exit is a blow to the club’s efforts to continue a promising start to the season, but Mariners medical staff are hopeful it will be a shorter absence than if he were to have it corrected surgically.

The club have allowed Tavares to revisit a doctor who treated him during his spell with Fulham in the English Premier League, an injury that stopped him from, playing much at the London side in 2010.

Tavares would be a big loss for the struggling Mariners. (Photo: Jason McCawley/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

If it is successful, he would miss only the trip to Wellington this weekend and the following round’s home clash with Brisbane.

The alternative is an operation that would keep him out for at least two months.

Ina statement, the Mariners confirmed that “midfielder Mickaël Tavares has sustained an ankle injury and has been granted permission to return to Europe complete his rehabilitation.

“The Mariners will allow Tavares to spend 10 days in Europe with a specialist that he has worked with previously in a bid to return to the Central Coast ready to play.”

Tavares has been a prominent figure for the Mariners under Paul Okon since switching from Sydney FC at the end of last season.