The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expects Tomas Rosicky to be back in contention for a first-team place around the festive period.

The Czech Republic international, 27, has been out of action since tearing a hamstring in January and missed Euro 2008 after being forced to undergo surgery.

Recent reports suggested the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder's career was in doubt because of the severity of his current injury.

But, although revealing Rosicky's rehabilitation has been a slow process, Wenger has set his sights on welcoming him back before the turn of the year.

"He is not close to playing again and he has not had any real setback, but the evolution is very slow," he told Arsenal TV Online.

"The recovery process is slower than we expected at the start. It doesn't look worrying but the delay is longer than expected.

"He had a re-attached tendon that was loose in his hamstring and that demands a lot of time to re-coordinate the movements of the hamstring.

"That makes it very difficult to predict exactly one week more or less how much time it will take.

"But I am optimistic that before Christmas you will see him in a good shape."