Levante's Ireland defender Ian Harte is close to making his return after a longer than expected recovery from surgery.

"It was a big shock to him when he discovered there was a high chance of him not being able to play football again, but the recent tests show everything is healing very well," Levante doctor Nacho Nebot said in the Spanish media on Tuesday.

He is expected to return to training with the first team in around three weeks.

The 29-year-old international, who scored nine goals in helping Levante win promotion last season, had surgery on a cyst at the top of the fibula in his left leg in August.

Initial estimates put the recovery period at around four to five weeks but a twisted ankle added to the delay in the former Leeds United player's return.