Ilkay Gundogan hopes to make his Manchester City debut within a month.
The midfielder, 25, signed from Borussia Dortmund in a £21million deal but has been out of action after dislocating his kneecap in May.
He said: “I hope to be ready as soon as possible. It seems like it will be the end of August or in September but it is hard to say."
Gundogan also can't wait to play for new boss Pep Guardiola having seen him work at close quarters in the Bundesliga.
He said: “Even the players who don't like him, rate him.
“Zlatan Ibrahimovic said in his book that he doesn't like him but that he is the best coach he ever worked with."