Andy Robertson is "not even close" to a return to Liverpool training, Jurgen Klopp has revealed.
The Scotland captain has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury against Spain back in October.
Robertson, 29, had to undergo major surgery to correct the shoulder issue and is still recovering.
The full-back can use his arm but "needs more range" according to Klopp who eased talks of a comeback in the near future.
A return in the new year had been suggested previously, but Klopp has explained Robertson will need the full month at least to build up his fitness.
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The Liverpool manager said: “Robbo still needs more range in his shoulder. Obviously it was a big surgery.
"(He is) still not even close to team training or whatever.
“(He) can do a lot, everything without using the arm properly, which is obviously good, but on the other side shows us we still have a long way to go.
"For sure, I think, the full January he has to get closer and closer.”
Last month, Robertson had said of his injury: "I'm getting there, slowly and surely. Surgery was a success which was the main thing, no complications from it or anything like that.
"It's so far so good, three weeks from my surgery now so everything is progressing well, I have just got to take it bit by bit and week by week.
"Everything has went well up to this point and hopefully that continues. Hopefully, before we know it I'll be back on the grass."
He added: "I've not looked that far ahead yet [for a return match]. I'm just trying to take it week by week, I'm trying not to get frustrated, I'm not the best injured so I'm trying to take small wins every single week.
"I don't want to put a game in mind and then I don't make it or I come back before then.
"I am just taking it slowly but surely and then there will be a time to start pushing it and when that comes I'll try and get on the pitch as quickly as I can."
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