FC Tokyo centre back Masato Morishige has undergone surgery to repair a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, the club announced on Friday.

The team captain and Samurai Blue regular suffered the injury during the team’s 3-1 loss at Cerezo Osaka on July 2 in the 17th round of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League.

Morishige, who had not missed a minute of play for Tokyo until the injury forced his substitution, is expected to require four months of recovery time, putting his participation in the remainder of the campaign in doubt. 

This year will mark the first season since 2009 in which the 30-year-old fails to record 30 or more league appearances.