Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew says that Jonas Gutierrez could make a final appearance for the club before the end of the season to celebrate winning his battle with cancer.
Gutierrez, 31, was found to have a tumour after being assessed by medical staff following a challenge from Bacary Sagna in the Premier League clash with Arsenal in April 2013.
However, he overcame the disease and is back training on Tyneside, and Magpies boss Pardew says the Argentine winger could feature should he regain his fitness.
"Now it is up to Jonas," the Daily Mirror reports Pardew as saying. "I know one thing: it will be emotional for him, and for us, when he does return. We are all looking forward to it."
Gutierrez's contract is up at the end of the current season, though Pardew insists the midfielder will get a fair chance for a role alongside his teammates.
JONAS GUTIERREZ PASÓ POR SKULL Y SE LLEVO SU TATTOO =) @tattoo_skull @elgalgojonas pic.twitter.com/rEgGMxmLxJ
- Skull Tattoo (@tattoo_skull) November 15, 2014
"Jonas is one of those people who livens up the training ground just by his personality," he continued. "Of course, with him recovering from his illness, that's been magnified.
"We are really pleased to have him back. He is finding his feet a little bit. He hasn't been around the ball much, but he looks in pretty good shape. We hope in two or three weeks, he will be in and around us.
"He is keen to get back in amongst us and earn his right to play in the first team again. Like any player, I have got to give him an even keel, and he will get that."
Newcastle fell to a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Arsenal last Saturday, and Pardew is hoping to avoid defeat in north London for a second game running as he prepares his side to face Tottenham in Wednesday's Capital One Cup clash.
Spurs' in-form striker Harry Kane has caught Pardew's eye, with the 53-year-old saying: "I think he is fabulous. I watched him on Sunday and when you have got an English striker who can do 13 kilometres at pace and have the quality and technical ability in the box, [England manager] Roy Hodgson should count himself very lucky."
Neither Pardew nor anyone else who has followed the recent fortunes of his club need reminding that the last major trophy was taken back to Tyneside in 1969, and they have not lifted a domestic prize since 1955.
However, a third-round victory at Crystal Palace was followed by a largely unexpected fourth-round success at Manchester City which was secured with the likes of Mehdi Abeid, Sammy Ameobi, Rolando Aarons and Adam Armstrong in the starting XI.
Pardew said: "I think this team may be more geared up for football than past ones, so that helps, but we have also played very well and the cup competition has been key to the turn-around in our season.
"The Palace win was much-needed and then at City, we put a performance in I don't think anyone expected with three or four players not many had heard of. They made a name for themselves that night and have been a big asset for us.
"If we win this, we have got all the momentum we need going into the derby. It can work in our favour, it can go against you if you lose two or three to injury.
"We need to stay injury-free and need our big players [against Sunderland on Sunday], like [skipper Fabricio] Coloccini, who has missed the last two."
Meanwhile, Pardew confirmed that midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa, whose loan spell at Hull appears to have come to an inglorious and premature conclusion, will not be returning to St James' Park.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.