Fernando Torres' knee surgeon believes the Liverpool striker could be back in action inside six weeks after his operation was deemed a success.
The Spain star has gone under the knife in an effort to cure a niggling problem which has been plaguing him for some time.
The hope is that the operation will rid the Spaniard of the ailment and allow him to rediscover full match fitness.
Liverpool need that to be the case, with Torres vital to their plans going forward.
Under-fire coach Rafa Benitez needs as many of his key men available as possible and will be desperate to welcome his countryman back into his first-team plans.
That situation may be someway off at present, by the Reds boss will have welcomed news that that his most potent attacking weapon will be ready for the end of season run-in.
Dr Ramon Cugat, the specialist who operated on Torres in a Barcelona hospital, has confirmed that the cartilage surgery has been a success and sees no reason why the fearsome frontman should not be back by the start of March.
"The surgery was a success and, if there are no problems, Fernando will be okay in six weeks," he said in The Sun.
