Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Sami Khedira will be fit to return "in 15 or 20 days".
The German international has been out of action since November with a knee injury, and it had been feared that he could miss the remainder of the season and the World Cup this summer.
However, Ancelotti has confirmed that the central midfielder is close to a first-team return.
"He's a player this team needs, because he's very important," Ancelotti told reporters.
"His recovery work is going very well. He has started running after three and a half months.
"Everything is going well and I think that in 15 or 20 days he can be in Madrid working with the team. We hope he can play before the end of the season."
Khedira had been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu last summer.
