MADRID, Sept 16 - Memphis Grizzlies centre Pau Gasol has set his sights on helping world champions Spain win the European championship on home soil next year.

Gasol has recently had surgery on a broken metatarsal in his left foot, an injury collected in the world championship semi-final against Argentina on September 1, and will be out of action for around three months.

"In principal, if nothing serious happens between now and then, I will be at the tournament in Spain," Gasol was quoted as saying in the Spanish media on Saturday.

"The Grizzlies know how important it is for me to play for my country, and I don't think they would try and stop me because it isn't in their interests.

"This injury has been waiting to happen for a long time, and could just as easily have happened in December. The fact it has happened now has been viewed favourably by some people."

Spain beat Greece 70-47 in the world championship final in Japan two weeks ago, despite the absence of Gasol, who was voted the tournament's MVP.

The NBA regular season gets underway on October 31, while the European championship takes place in Spain next September.