Socceroo Tim Cahill, on crutches following a foot operation, says he is on track to start the next English season.
Cahill will miss Australia's four World Cup qualifying matches next month, but hopes to be back in the frame for Everton's Premier League campaign starting in August.
"Everything is going right on schedule," he told reporters in Sydney.
"I have seen the specialists again, and they let me go in the swimming pool today.
"I had a long session which was pretty tiring.
"The swelling has gone down, and everything looks really good."
Cahill had an operation on his left foot two weeks ago.
He broke the foot in a Premier League game in March after suffering a similar injury the previous year, but insists he did not take any risks in playing this season.
"If I had to sit out a whole season to get the foot right I would have," he said, "but I'm very passionate about football and I don't like to sit on the sidelines.
"I understood what was going to happen.
"I played 20-odd games (this season), scored 10 goals, played in UEFA (competition) again and helped my club finish in Europe again.
"I've got six years of football left," said the 28-year-old midfielder.
"I can whinge about it then when I've finished."
Cahill will pay a visit to Samoa, his mother's country, this month to "visit the kids there, try to give them some inspiration and give them something back".
