Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has said his recovery is going well but he cannot guarantee he will be back at Christmas.
Wilshere, 23, suffered a hairline crack to his left fibula ahead of the Community Shield in August and had been pencilled in to make his return ahead of the Christmas programme of games.
However, the England international -- who has not made a competitive appearance for Arsenal since the FA Cup final in May and was out for six months last season -- is wary of rushing back given the number of injury problems he has suffered in the past.
Asked if he would soon be back, Wilshere told Fox Soccer: "I hope so but I've said before in a previous interview that I've been in this position before where I'm feeling good, I'm back on the pitch, I'm doing a bit of running and all of a sudden something goes wrong so I don't want to say I'll be in a month or I'll be back at Christmas.
"I'll be back when I'm back when I feel ready but at the minute it's going good."
Arsenal have suffered a host of injury problems in central midfield this season, with Francis Coquelin now ruled out for 12 weeks and Mikel Arteta also missing with what Arsene Wenger has described as a "short-term" calf problem.
Tomas Rosicky, meanwhile, is due to return in the New Year along with forward Danny Welbeck, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott may be back in action in the next fortnight.