Danny Rose will start 'outdoor work' next week as the defender attempts to prove his fitness ahead of Tottenham's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Rose has not featured for Mauricio Pochettino's side since suffering medial knee ligament damage in January's 0-0 draw with Sunderland.
The England international, who has missed 12 fixtures during his spell on the sidelines, has visited a specialist in an effort to overcome the problem with his recovery taking longer than originally anticipated.
Saturday's Premier League fixture against Bournemouth will definitely come too soon for Rose but he may yet be able to return to the first-team in time for a trip to Wembley on April 22.
Pochettino said of Rose's potential involvement: "We’ll see how he adapts on the pitch.
"Maybe it’s too early but we’ll see what happens next week.”
If Rose returns to training next week as planned he will have up to five days of fitness work to get up to speed before Spurs take on Antonio Conte's side.
But the north London derby against Arsenal, which is scheduled to be played on April 30, appears to be a more likely return date for the 26-year-old.
Ben Davies has deputised during Rose's injury absence and the Welshman has equipped himself well on the left-hand side of defence.
Yet welcoming Rose back into the side ahead of the run-in, having already seen Harry Kane return to fitness early, will represent a huge boost for Pochettino's men.
Meanwhile, Victor Wanyama has returned to full training after a back problem while Michel Vorm and Cameron Carter-Vickers are being assessed after picking up knee problems in midweek.
