Injured Neymar eyeing early return for PSG this season

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar said Friday he will be back playing "in a bit more than a month" as he recovers from foot surgery.

The 26-year-old Brazilian has been sidelined since late February, when he cracked the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. He underwent surgery on March 3 in the southeastern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte.

Brazil's national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said at the time of the operation that Neymar's recovery could take up to three months. That prognosis appeared to cast doubt over whether Neymar would be fit in time for the World Cup in Russia, which begins on June 14.

But the former Santos prodigy indicated he could be available for Paris Saint-German's final matches of the season in May.

"There is still a month to go, a bit more than a month," Neymar told TV Globo. "I'm progressing well and consolidating well."

PSG manager Unai Emery said earlier on Friday that Neymar was "close to returning".

"His recent medical test went well and everything looks fine. He has progressed normally -- he is close," the Spaniard told a news conference.

"When Neymar gets here, he will be very eager to play. We hope that he will be in the team for the last few matches of the season."

PSG also released a statement saying the next week and a half would determine when Neymar would be ready to resume training.