New Liverpool signing Alberto Aquilani is “doing well” in his recovery from an ankle injury which has delayed the start of his career at Anfield.

The Italian midfielder made an £18million move to Merseyside from Roma this summer but his injury has forced him to miss the start of the season for the Reds.

As reported on This Is Anfield earlier this week, the club are hopefully Aquilani will make his debut by the end of the month with the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal on October 28th penciled in as his return date.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Reds boss Rafa Benitez gave this update.

He said, “I have been speaking to the doctors and things are going well with him. 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.

“He is doing almost everything and he is doing some things with the team. The only thing he is not doing is kick a ball – not yet any way.”