17 July,2009 03:32 PM IST | | AFP
Manchester United and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves could be back in action in September, a year after a serious knee injury, manager Sir Alex Ferguson said today.
The 28-year-old has been plagued by the knee injuries since his 18 million pound move from Bayern Munich in 2007 and it had been feared that he may not play again this year.
But Ferguson said he would join the club for the Audi Cup in Munich at the conclusion of their Asia tour later this month.
"He's completed his rehabilitation in the United States, he's had the operation and he will join us in Munich," Ferguson said here after United arrived for the first leg of their pre-season tour.
"He won't be ready for competitive football but he'll be able to take part in training.
"He's been out for a year though so the process may take some time. He may be ready by the first weeks of September but that's a conservative assessment."
Despite making only 25 starts for the club, Hargreaves has claimed a Premier League and Champions League title during his spell at United and insists he will return a stronger player.
"I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully add a couple of years to my career," he recently told Britain's Daily Star.
"It's been so frustrating. As an athlete, and being so competitive, it's hard to watch when you normally would be out there."
