Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is hopeful that he will be able to return to action at some point in the New Year following a hamstring injury.
The Belgium international lasted just 23 minutes of City's opening Premier League fixture with Burnley in August - which he began as the champions' captain - before succumbing to the severe problem.
De Bruyne's hamstring woes can be traced back to last season, as the 31-year-old was playing through pain during the business end of the season to help the Citizens clinch Premier League and FA Cup glory.
De Bruyne was cleared to start the Champions League final against Inter Milan on June 10, but the ex-Chelsea man was taken off in the first half and revealed that the ligament had completely torn after a "hard two months" of pain management.
The 32-year-old did not play a single minute for Pep Guardiola's side in pre-season, although he made the bench on three occasions and came on as a substitute in the Community Shield against Arsenal, setting up Cole Palmer's opener but missing his penalty as City lost in the shootout.
© Reuters
After his premature exit from the win over Burnley, De Bruyne was confirmed to have gone under the knife to treat his hamstring injury and was ruled out for four months, offering hope of a return in January.
Earlier this month, Guardiola revealed that De Bruyne had not yet returned to training but was in his "last phase" of rehabilitation before being given the green light to resume working on the grass, telling the press: "I spoke with him, and he said he feels really good.
"He's not training with us yet, and I don't know when he will. I would say he's in the last phase before he trains with us again. Kevin's was a bad injury with surgery, so it's step by step."
With no matchday commitments to concern himself with at present, De Bruyne attended the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where world champion Max Verstappen took his 19th win to close out the 2023 Formula One season.
Speaking to Sky Sports News at the race, De Bruyne confirmed that he was eyeing a return in January, saying: "It's going well, getting along. Still got a little way to go, but we'll be there. Hopefully I'll be back something close after the New Year, if everything goes well."
© Reuters
While De Bruyne's participation in January 13's showdown with Newcastle United therefore remains in some doubt, the Belgian should be fit again by the time his former club Chelsea visit the Etihad on February 17.
The ex-Wolfsburg man has blossomed into one of the Premier League's most celebrated players over the past few years, recording 96 goals and 153 assists in 358 matches for the Citizens since joining the club in the summer of 2015.
De Bruyne's contract with the treble winners only runs until the summer of 2025, though, and discussions over a new deal have supposedly been placed on hold while he continues his recovery.
The playmaker is being kept company in the treatment room by fellow midfielders Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic, who missed the weekend's 1-1 draw with Liverpool through muscular and thigh issues respectively.
Jack Grealish also sat out the clash with the Reds due to illness, but he is likely to return when the Champions League holders take on RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.
Ben Knapton
