The Bulgaria international was forced to return to Italy for surgery but is now back at City’s Carrington training complex to continue his rehabilitation work.

Blues boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is refusing to set a timescale on Bojinov’s recovery, preferring instead to ensure the forward – once the youngest foreign player ever to appear in Serie A – is fully fit before he faces the demands of Premier League life once more.

However, according to City fitness coach Stefano Marrone, City fans could be in for a very welcome post-Christmas present.

“Players need targets for motivation, so anything around January would be great,” Marrone told www.mcfc.co.uk

“That would mean being fully fit for normal training in December and then he would be ready for the Premier League in January.

“We are still at a very early stage of his recovery, so it is difficult to say for certain, but that is our target.”