Bayern Munich are hopeful midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will return to team training during the upcoming international break.
Germany captain Schweinsteiger has been sidelined with knee problems and has not played a competitive match since the World Cup final in July.
He had suffered fitness troubles during the second half of the 2013-14 campaign and, while he was able to starring role for his country in Brazil during the summer and featured for his club in a preseason friendly against the MLS All-Stars, he has been nursing a tendon problem in his left knee since then.
However, he began training with the ball last month and Bayern are hopeful he is now close to returning to action.
"It's conceivable that he'll return in 2014," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told kicker. "Bastian had a super week, and could resume team training during the upcoming international break."
Bayern travel to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday and then, following the international break, return to action with a home match against Hoffenheim on Nov. 22.