Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s nagging knee injury does not require surgery and Inter Milan are hopeful the Sweden striker will be ready for the start of the season, the head of the club’s medical department said.

“Naturally our desire is to have him for the start of the championship. He’s responding well (to treatment),” Franco Combi told a news conference. “Everything is going well now, so the possibility of an operation was never considered.”

Combi added that France captain and midfielder Patrick Vieira should be able to play in some pre-season friendlies next month after a thigh injury kept him out action during Euro 2008.

Source: Reuters