Wigan Athletic boss Roberto Martinez has revealed that he hopes to have Ben Watson back in contention in February.
The midfielder suffered a fractured shin during the Latics' 3-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend.
It was feared that Watson would be sidelined for a prolonged period of time, but Wigan announced on Monday that they expected him back 'in the New Year'.
Martinez has now offered a further update, with it possible that he could welcome the 27-year-old back into his plans inside three months.
"After the plaster comes off in the New Year, you're then looking at a block of about three or four weeks to get the full fitness back - which is around the beginning of February," he said in the Wigan Evening Post.
Meanwhile, Martinez has also been looking ahead to Wigan's Premier League clash with Reading on Saturday, a game he considers to be crucial to the Latics' top-flight cause.
"It's a massive game, because all of your home games in the Premier League come into that category," he said.
"Every game at the DW has been very exciting, although we haven't managed to pick up as many points as we have probably deserved."
Confidence
He added: "Reading will present a completely different challenge to the ones we have faced.
"They will be coming here on a massive high after beating Everton, and will be full of confidence because of that.
"We are coming in after two defeats, but we are at home and we have to be prepared to perform as well as we can. It's a game where we can't afford to be below our best."
Northern Ireland international defender Hodson, 21, has been a member of the Hornets' first team for three years, while Italian Under-19 international striker Trotta has previously been on the books of Manchester City and Napoli and scored eight goals in eight games during a loan spell at Wycombe last season.
Both players are available for Brentford's clash at home to promotion-chasing Sheffield United in League One on Saturday.
Mark Warburton, Brentford FC Sporting Director, told the club's official website: "Marcello is a player we have admired for a long period.
"He had a very successful loan period at Wycombe Wanderers and has been very near to joining several Championship clubs over the last few weeks. We are delighted to welcome him to Griffin Park and look forward to what we hope will be a very beneficial loan spell for all parties.
"Lee has made almost 100 appearances for Watford in the Championship and has established himself as a regular full International with Northern Ireland."
Benitez was named interim boss until the end of the season on Wednesday night, and has now begun the challenge of winning round his new club's players and fans, something that could be helped by adding a former Blues star to his coaching staff.
Pierre Zenden told Voetbal International his son was on his way to Chelsea.
"He was approached on Wednesday by Benitez and is now on a flight," he said.
"Since yesterday, he phoned Benitez many times.
"I assume that he will be on the pitch this afternoon, together with the manager.
"I assume he will finish the season, just like Benitez."
Zenden junior, 36, played for Chelsea between 2001 and 2004 before joining Benitez's Liverpool. He has never before held a coaching role.
Blues fans were still in shock on Thursday morning after owner Roman Abramovich completed arguably his most controversial day yet at Stamford Bridge by appointing Benitez to succeed Roberto Di Matteo.
The Russian handed the former Liverpool boss a contract until the end of the season, having seemingly been unable to woo the man said to be his number one target.
Confirming new "interim" boss Benitez would meet Chelsea's players on Thursday, the European champions said in a statement: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm Rafael Benitez has been appointed interim first-team manager until the end of the season.
"The owner and the board believe that, in Benitez, we have a manager with significant experience at the highest level of football, who can come in and immediately help deliver our objectives."
The length of Benitez's contract appeared the clearest indication yet of Abramovich's determination to land Pep Guardiola once the former Barcelona boss completes his one-year sabbatical.
Benitez's appointment has not been generally well received by Chelsea supporters on social media.
But all that failed to deter Benitez, who agreed his Chelsea contract during a trip to Abu Dhabi and will look to convince them or another big club to give him a longer-term deal.
Benitez's appeal to Abramovich could be due to his relationship with ?50million flop Fernando Torres, who he helped make one of the best strikers in the world at Liverpool.
Benitez told Sport360 shortly before his appointment: "I think you can see in (Torres') face that he is almost trying too hard.
"But I think the potential is still there.
"The problem with some players is that they are doing so well in a team and the understanding is so good that it is difficult to replicate that in another team.
"Sometimes, it is a question of time, but he is a good player, is keen to learn and is a good professional."
Di Matteo finally lost patience with Torres in his last match in charge but he expressed few regrets about his unparalleled eight-month tenure on Wednesday night.
"It was an honour for me to be appointed manager of a club that I loved playing for and one that is so close to my heart," he said in a statement issued by the League Managers Association.
"I am extremely proud of the successes and trophies that we were able to bring to the club in recent months.
"Lifting Chelsea's first Champions League trophy, in Munich, was the best achievement in club history and without doubt the highlight of my career to date, both as a player and manager. It is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life.
"I have a deep and unreserved passion for Chelsea Football Club and I would like to sincerely thank all of the staff, my players and of course the Chelsea fans, for their tremendous and unconditioned support in the intense time I have been the manager at the Bridge. I wish all of them every success for the rest of the season and beyond."
