Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes has moved a step closer to a first-team return after completing a light training session on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga outfit confirmed via Twitter that the World Cup winner had completed a "running session" at the club's training ground, the first stage in his long road to recovery from injury.
Howedes has not featured throughout pre-season for the Bundesliga outfit after suffering a "complex" ankle injury in Schalke's penultimate clash of the 2014-15 campaign against Paderborn.
Schalke's tweet read: "Good news #S04 fans! @BeneHowedes is on the road to recovery after completing a running session on Tuesday!"
‘I’m often compared to my father, but he was unique – nothing compares to him. Beethoven’s son didn’t play like his dad. They were two different people’: Diego Maradona's son reveals what it's like growing up with famous surname
'His defensive ratings weren’t good, but Jurgen convinced us, "If he does have weaknesses, we can cover them up – I need a full-back with attacking quality"': How Klopp persuaded Liverpool to complete key signing which has proven a masterstroke
