Bodde lasted just eight minutes of his first start since injury

Midfielder Ferrie Bodde says he will not rush his latest return from a knee injury after arriving back in Swansea to complete his recovery.

The £5m-rated Dutchman only returned this season from 10 months out with cruciate ligament damage but appeared to suffer a recurrence in September.

Initial scans showed a tear but a second opinion in Holland a few weeks later delivered better news.

"The recovery is going well and I am feeling stronger," said Bodde.

"I'm feeling fit at the moment but I want to take it slowly and integrate slowly from my rehabilitation and into training with the boys.

"I will see week by week what will happen but I hope to play before the end of the season."

Bodde was the subject of two failed £4.5m bids from Wigan and a lower bid from Bolton in the summer despite still being out at the time from his original injury suffered in November last year.

He returned to action this season, but two weeks after making his comeback in a reserve match, he pulled up eight minutes into his first league start in the 2-1 win over Sheffield United.

A second scan revealed he did not need an operation and Bodde been undergoing rehabilitation in his homeland.

Throughout his rehabilitation he has trained six days a week with Dutch fitness expert Rob Meppelink for six hours a day in a bid to return to full strength.

And now former ADO Den Haag player Bodde is hopeful of playing again before the end of the campaign and helping the Swans fight for promotion to the Premier League.

"The boys are doing well," he added. "The atmosphere around the camp is good and we have a fantastic team.

"If we can put a good run together and get some points we can keep our place in the play-offs."

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