Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admits he will be cautious with Ashley Cole after Wayne Bridge was ruled out for two months with a hip injury.
England defender Cole is also on the comeback trail after ankle surgery.
He was scheduled to return to training on Chelsea's American tour, but Mourinho will now monitor his progress.
Mourinho said: "Ashley is the only left-back we have so we have to take care of him. He'll be back only in very, very safe conditions."
He added: "Normally, he will go into the team next week when we go back to London and hopefully he'll start the season in the match against Manchester United for the Community Shield."
Bridge will miss the start of the season after undergoing hip surgery in the United States.
Club doctor Alex Nieper told Chelsea TV: "The operation was carried out this week and a piece of bone was removed which was the source of the problem.
"Wayne is not on crutches and should be back in two to three months."
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The 26-year-old Bridge pulled out of a training session on the club's US tour on Friday.
"Bridge has been struggling with a right hip problem for the last few weeks," added Nieper.
"We decided while we were out here for him to see a world-renowned hip surgeon who agreed he did need hip surgery due to a cartilage defect."
Chelsea's first Premier League game is against Birmingham on 12 August, with Bridge possibly not available until late September.
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