Everton boss Roberto Martinez is hopeful Arouna Kone will be fit next month.
The Ivory Coast striker, brought in from Martinez's former club Wigan, has been out of action since suffering a knee injury last October.
Martinez said: "Arouna is training well and is still in his own programme, but he has been working with the team as well.
"We're very positive about Arouna being able to play some sort of competitive football in the next four to five weeks."
Everton begin their Barclays Premier League campaign away at promoted Leicester on Saturday.
