Borussia Dortmund do not expect midfielder Mario Gotze to return to action before the end of the season as he continues to receive treatment for a metabolic disorder.
The 24-year-old stopped training with the German outfit in February and was later ruled out indefinitely while internal tests were conducted by the club.
Dortmund have now confirmed that Gotze will "start back training in early summer" should everything go to plan, with the treatment he has so far undergone having a "positive" effect on the World Cup winner.
Speaking after the club tweeted an update on the former Bayern Munich ace's condition, chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "BVB wishes Mario Gotze a fast recovery, also in the name of their 10 million fans."
Gotze, recently linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer, has endured a frustrating campaign since returning to the Westfalenstadion from Bayern last summer after being restricted to just nine Bundesliga starts due to muscular issues.
Daniel Lewis
