Sevilla are this week submitting Ivan Rakitic to further tests to monitor his recovery from injury.
The Croatian attacking midfielder, who signed for Sevilla in the January transfer window, broke the fifth metatarsal of his left foot in the League match at Almeria on May 1.
Since then the former Schalke player has undergone surgery, with the initial prognosis being a recovery by July, in time for the 23-year-old to begin pre-season training. However, new Coach Marcelino Garcia Toral has not been able to work with Rakitic, as tests by club doctors revealed the bone had not fully healed.
Subsequently the player has received growth injections to try to aid the healing process, as well as a specific training regime, including physiotherapy. The latest tests carried out will now determine the direction doctors take, with AS understanding the best case scenario is an immediate return to full training and availability by late August for Marcelino.
The Spanish side prepare to meet Napoli in a friendly on Sunday in Italy, before finishing pre-season preparations with the annual Trofeo Teresa Herrera, playing just the one game – against Deportivo La Coruna on August 14 – in the traditional summer tournament. The team then begin the season with Europa League qualifying action in the play-off round on August 18.
