Ipswich Town forward Freddie Sears is targeting a November return from his cruciate knee ligament injury.
The 29-year-old finished last season as the Blues' joint-leading scorer on six goals but saw his campaign end in February after suffering the injury at Norwich, before going under the knife a few weeks later.
Sears is with the Ipswich squad in Germany and is working with the club's fitness coaching and physios, with a hope of returning to light training before the end of August.
He then hopes to return to action in November.
"I'm four months and a bit in now so feeling stronger every day," he said in a club interview.
"I'm looking to step things up now and have just started the AlterG (anti-gravity treadmill) and will hopefully be back on the grass within four to six weeks.
"I'm feeling good, feeling positive and it's hopefully not too much longer now. There have been no set-backs yet, which is a positive, so I want to come through these next four to six weeks and hopefully start stepping things up.
"I have a time in my head and I'm looking at November time. There could be set-backs, there could not be so I'm taking it day-by-day at the minute.
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"It's been a long process, four months so far, but it hasn't been too bad. But I'm sure once August starts it will starting kicking in because the season's going and you're raring to get back."
Sears continued: "You have to stay patient with it. The physios have been great, Jim (Henry) and Geoff (Robinson) have done a lot of strength and conditioning stuff which has been a bit different for me because I'd rather be out on the pitch playing football instead of being based in the gym.
"But I'm enjoying it, filling up a lot of time out here, and I've been doing a lot of cycling and trying to keep as fit as I can and being ready to go."
Sears was one of five outfield players who didn't feature against Paderborn on Saturday, alongside James Norwood, Alan Judge, Jon Nolan and Gwion Edwards.
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"That's probably helped," Sears said, when asked if having company in training had helped.
"You're not on your own for training and there's been Nolo (Jon Nolan) and Gwi (Gwion Edwards) day in day out and we've been pushing each other through it and going on bike rides every morning.
"That's been really good and has helped because you aren't just in the gym on your own and everyone's pushing each other to get fit.
"Hopefully those boys will be out there sooner rather than later."
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