Giuseppe Rossi has received some good news going into 2015 with latest examinations on his injured knee showing a distinct improvement and a return to training pencilled in for mid-January.
The Italy international has been sidelined since September when he required further surgery to correct ligament damage which had not fully healed following an operation in January 2014.
Almost a year on, Rossi has now been given the green light to step up his latest recovery attempt after a follow-up visit to Dr Steven Singleton in the Steadman Clinic in Vail.
"Pepito's knee is very stable," said Fiorentina's club doctor Paolo Manetti, passing on the good news on the Serie A club's official website.
"It's clean and has developed some good muscle. Doctor [Singleton] has given the all clear for him to increase the burden which will enable him to regain complete tone. In mid-January, Rossi will start with specific work out on the field before a further in-depth test which is foreseen for mid-February.
"A return to action is forecast for the start of March when we will get to see the real Giuseppe Rossi again."
Rossi's last appearance in a Viola shirt came on the final day of last season, when he scored in a 2-2 draw with Torino.
He was subsequently invited to a pre-World Cup training camp, although he was unable to prove to the then-Italy coach Cesare Prandelli that he had made a full recovery from his knee injury and was left out of the World Cup squad.
Before the 2014-15 season got underway, Rossi suffered a setback which required further surgery and has kept him out of action since.