Egypt striker Zidan on the mend

Zidan tore his cruciate ligament in April

Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan is expected to return to training next month with German Bundesliga club Dortmund.

The 28-year-old is recovering well from a knee injury sustained in April.

Zidan tore his cruciate ligament but has now returned to running and training to strengthen the knee.

He only went back to Germany this month because he could not leave his native Egypt earlier as the Egyptian military authorities wanted him to do his national service.

This problem has now been resolved and the forward is able to continue his rehabilitation in Dortmund and says the injury came when he was at the height of his career.

"I was always confident that I do not need to be a soldier," Zidan, who was injured in mid-April, told German magazine Kicker.

Last March, Zidan scored for Egypt in their pre-World Cup friendly 3-1 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium and has won 34 caps for his country.

"I'm glad that everything is okay with the injury. Now I can put my foot back on the gas," he said.