Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl hopes Tino Livramento will be available for the second-half of the season.
Livramento, an England under-21 international who had been Hasenhuttl's first-choice right-back last campaign, has been sidelined since April.
The youngster picked up an ACL injury during the 2-2 draw with Brighton at the Amex Stadium, after battling a niggly meniscus concern for all of 2022.
Livramento attended Saints' friendly with Monaco last week.
And Hasenhuttl delivered an update of his progress today: "Not before the World Cup, but he is in time I think.
"I don't know if he is ahead of schedule or not, but this is not the question at the moment."