Sevilla will be without Spain international winger Jesus Navas until the end of the year after it was revealed this Monday that he will need an operation on his left ankle.

Navas has been out of action since December after twisting his ankle, but it had been hoped that he could return to action this Thursday in his side's Europa League tie against Karpaty Lviv.

However, while training this Monday the winger suffered a reoccurrence of the problem as he attempted to cross the ball and his club have announced the decision for him to undergo an operation to definitively solve the problem.

Sevilla have announced that he will be operated on in the city of Vitoria and that he will miss "the next few weeks".

The time most players need to recover from ankle surgery means it is unlikely Navas will be in condition to play the last round of BBVA Primera Liga matches, which are scheduled for December 18 and 19 and his return to action will have to wait until the start of 2011.

The winger has made just two BBVA Primera Liga appearances this season, the last of which was in Sevilla's 0-0 draw at home to Deportivo la Coruna on match day two of the season.