Tomas Rosicky hopes to put 18 months of injury problems behind him by returning to action for Arsenal during the opening weeks of the new season.

The Czech Republic midfielder last played against Newcastle United in the FA Cup in January 2008 and a combination of niggling injuries in his hamstring and knee tendons, which proved difficult to isolate and treat with surgery, restricted Rosicky's rehabilitation programme.

The 28-year-old attacking midfielder, signed from Borussia Dortmund in a £6.8million deal three years ago, resumed light training in May and has now rejoined the rest of the Arsenal squad as they prepare for the new campaign.

"I will be back in the autumn," Rosicky said. "According to my fitness coach Tony Colbert I could have been playing at the end of the [last] season as he thought my fitness was okay.

"It was obvious from the training that I was ready to play, if not for 90 minutes. But the club decided not to play me. They saw that I was OK, but maybe they just did not want to take the gamble.

"Until I play in a league match I will not be able to tell what my chances are, but when it comes to fitness alone I am in better shape than when I came to Arsenal.

"Now that I have recovered, I am a new option for the manager."