Arjen Robben Could Return From Calf Injury Against Liverpool in Pre-Season Friendly

Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben could be set to return from a calf injury against Liverpool in the Audi Cup this week, ESPN have reported.

The 33-year-old was back in training on Sunday having missed the Bundesliga champions' 12-day tour of China and Singapore.

Robben picked up the injury while playing tennis on holiday, but he has expressed his optimism that he will be ready for the start of the new season.

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"I'm doing well so far," he said. "I've still got almost three weeks until the opening Bundesliga game. I am making good progress and increasing my training load gradually."

The Dutch international is entering his ninth season for Bayern, who he joined in 2009 from Real Madrid.

He has been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League as he enters the latter stages of his career, although Shanghai SIPG director Mads Davidsen dismissed the possiblity of the division bringing in players of the age of Robben or teammate Franck Ribery.

“It’s a misconception that makes me really angry when players in Europe believe they can freely choose the time to move to China," Davidsen told Bild.

“This was the situation three or four years ago but those times are over. If Ribery had an offer two or three years ago from China then that was his chance, but an ambitious Chinese team like Shanghai SIPG wouldn’t sign him or Robben now.

“Why should a Chinese club sign a 33 or 34-year-old when they can get 27-year-old stars like Axel Witsel or Alex Teixeira, or Oscar at 25?”