Eduardo still hoping to play this year

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roatia striker Eduardo has targeted a return to action with Arsenal by the end of the year.The 25-year-old has been sidelined since suffering an horrific broken leg atBirmingham in February - which proved to be the pivotal moment in a season whichslowly unravelled for the Gunners.
Although the Brazil-born forward was ruled out of Euro 2008 as a result, aspell of rehabilitation back in South America proved time well spent as hisrecovery has moved on quickly.
Eduardo - signed by Arsenal from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2007 - hopes acompetitive return is now within sight.
"My leg is getting better all the time and I hope to be back playing again byChristmas,'' Eduardo told Setanta Sports. "It has been a long road to recovery, and there is still a lot of hard workleft to do, but everything is going well and I should be back playing againsoon.''
The news of Eduardo's progress will be welcome for manager Arsene Wenger, whois hoping for a clean bill of health when the internationals start to returnfrom tomorrow.
Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre is expected to be incontention for a belated debut at Blackburn this weekend after a thigh problem.
However, Samir Nasri - who has netted two goals in four appearances - may needtreatment on a knee problem which forced him out of the France squad ahead oftonight's game against Serbia in Paris.
Midfielder Abou Diaby hopes to be available for the first time this seasonfollowing a thigh injury, but winger Tomas Rosicky continues to be troubled by along-running hamstring problem.
Wenger said: "Let's hope first that everybody comes back without any injuryand, secondly, with a positive experience. It is of course a worrying time forthe managers.
"The earliest they come back is Thursday midday, you play on Saturdayafternoon and you have to be at your best.''
The Gunners face a tough travel schedule over the next week and a half. Afterthe game at Ewood Park, Wenger's squad must then head to Ukraine for theirChampions League opener against Dynamo Kiev before returning to domestic actionat Bolton on September 20.
Such jet-setting may well now be part of a footballer's regular routine - butthat did not stop Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor expressing his concerns overtravel plans while away with Togo.
The national team left for a qualifying tie against Zambia without him afterthe 6ft 3in African refused to board the plane at Lome airport because as theyprepared to depart separately to the president of the Togo Football Federation,Adebayor claimed: "There are rumours that, if we get on, the aircraft will godown.''