Stoke City defender Danny Higginbotham could be back in action by the end of September.
The 32-year old sustained a cruciate injury in March which required surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of last season.
It was initially feared that Higginbotham could be sidelined for the rest of 2011 but he has done well in his rehab and told the club's official website that things are looking good for an early return.
"The aim from the moment I suffered the injury was to come back fitter and stronger and that remains my big goal," Higginbotham said.
"As tough as it was at the time, you can't dwell on the past and I am just concentrating on getting myself fit.
"If I do my rehabilitation work properly, that will dictate how strong I come back."
