I could return this month

Inter captain Javier Zanetti has revealed that he could make his eagerly-awaited return before the end of the month.

The Nerazzurri legend has been out of action since suffering an Achilles injury in April and there were those that questioned whether the Argentine would ever play again.

However, Zanetti, who turned 40 in August, says that his comeback is now not too far away.

"I am recovering well," the versatile defender told Exclusivo24. "I am training with the group and I hope to return to play soon.

"I want to take it slowly, quietly, without any rush. Could I return in December or January? Before then, I think ..."

Zanetti also insisted that he has not yet given any thought to whether he will call time on his career next summer.

"I don't think about it at the training camp," the Buenos Aires native explained. "I'm just thinking about recovering from the injury and returning to play."

Zanetti, who was capped 145 times by his country, joined Inter from Banfield in 1995.