BERLIN: Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan is expected to return to training next month with Bundesliga club Dortmund having recovered from his knee injury.
The 28-year-old tore his cruciate ligament in April and has now returned to running and training to strengthen the knee with the German league club.
Zidan has been back in Germany since early September, but could not leave his native Egypt earlier because the Egyptian military authorities wanted him to do his national service.
This problem has now been resolved and the forward is able to continue his rehabilitation in Dortmund and says the injury came when he was at the height of his career.
"I was always confident that I do not need to be a soldier," Zidan, who was injured in mid-April, told German magazine Kicker.
Last March, Zidan scored for Egypt in their pre-World Cup friendly 3-1 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium and has won 34 caps for his country.
"I’m glad that everything is okay with the injury. Now I can put my foot back on the gas," he said.