#INSERT type:image caption:Alvaro Negredo has undergone appendix surgery.END#
Alvaro Negredo's difficult season has continued with the Valencia striker undergoing an emergency operation for appendicitis.
Negredo, 30, started 2015-16 as Valencia's first choice centre-forward, scoring the key goal in August's playoff victory against Monaco which secured Champions League football for Los Che this campaign.
But the former Spain international has not featured at all since a newspaper interview in October which suggested disagreement with the team's tactics, although coach Nuno has denied he is directly punishing the player for the comments.
Negredo now looks set for another month at least on the sidelines after a club statement revealed he had been hospitalised with serious appendix trouble.
"Alvaro Negredo underwent surgery on Monday afternoon after being diagnosed with an acute appendicitis," the statement said.
Madrid-born Negredo completed a €30 million move to Valencia from Manchester City last summer, after spending the 2014-15 season on loan at Mestalla and scoring five goals in 30 appearances.
Marseille are reportedly interested in signing Negredo in January, with the Ligue 1 club's coach Michel knowing the centre-forward well from their time together at Sevilla.