Wolfsburg midfielder Hleb out until October

Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb will be out of action for Wolfsburg until October as he recovers from knee surgery.

Speaking at his presentation with the German club Wednesday, Hleb—an offseason loan signing from Barcelona—said he hoped to start training with his new teammates in “two weeks”.

He thanked Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath for “believing in me, although I’m not yet fully fit.”

Hleb, who underwent the operation in June, said he was “happy to be back in the Bundesliga.”

Magath called him an “exceptional footballer”. He did not comment on reports Wolfsburg must pay Barcelona ?100,000 ($140,715) each time Hleb is played.

Magath previously coached the 30-year-old at Stuttgart, where Hleb played 164 league games between 2001 and 2004.

Hleb has spent the past two seasons on loan after failing to establish himself at Barcelona following his 2008 transfer from Arsenal. He was at Stuttgart in 2009-10 and played for Birmingham City last season.