Source: SKY_Sports
Rafa - Aquilani nearly ready
Rafa Benitez expects Alberto Aquilani to make his long-awaited Liverpool debut in the Carling Cup fourth-round tie at Arsenal on 28th October.
The £20million summer signing has yet to make an appearance for the Reds after requiring surgery on a troublesome ankle injury in August.
In the 25-year-old midfielder's absence, Liverpool have failed to hit the heights of last season, suffering knock-backs in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
The Merseysiders enter the international break on the back of successive defeats to Fiorentina and Chelsea, but Benitez has been given some welcome news about the former Roma performer to lift the gloom over Anfield.
"I have been speaking to the doctors and things are going well with him," the Reds boss told the Liverpool Echo.
"Alberto is progressing all the time. It could be two to three weeks before he is back.
"But we need to use caution. We will take it one step at a time and we have the international break to look forward to now.
"That will be good for him, as he will have some more time.
"He is running and swimming - I think he will have the record in the swimming pool by the end of his programme - and he is working in the gym," said Benitez.
"He is doing almost everything and he is doing some things with the team.
"The only thing he is not doing is kicking a ball - not yet any way."
It is common knowledge that Benitez acquired Aquilani as a replacement for Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso, who was sold to Real Madrid for £30m after a long transfer saga.
At the time, Benitez knew the player would not be fit enough to feature early in the season but has seen his decision to let Alonso go come under criticism following their recent failings.
But the manager has stressed the purchase of the Italy international was part of a long-term plan and he will not press Aquilani into action ahead of schedule.
"We knew he had the problem but we knew we were signing the player for five years and not five weeks," he added.
"We will see if he can improve. Clearly he is a player with quality we are desperate to see on the pitch but we will not push him too much.
"He has to go one step at a time and see how he progresses."
