Everton manager David Moyes has confirmed that Séamus Coleman has stepped up his return from a hamstring injury.
The Republic of Ireland defender has been sidelined since his enforced withdrawal ten minutes into the Toffees' gutsy 1-0 win over Manchester United on 24 November.
The 37-year-old Donegal man has missed nine Premier League games and last Saturday's FA Cup defeat against Sunderland.
However, a return to action may be in the offing in the coming weeks after Moyes said the right-back and his fellow defender Jarrad Brantwaithe were back in training.
"Both Jarrad and Séamus have been back on the grass," he said at Everton's Friday press conference.
"They've been getting involved in training. Good to get Jarrad back, good to get Séamus back as well. So yeah, they're back in amongst it."
The news will be a boost for Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson with the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia on the horizon in Prague on 26 March.
Coleman played a key on-pitch leadership role in October and particularly November, starting the wins over Armenia, Portugal and Hungary which rescued the Boys in Green's group campaign and kept qualification hopes alive.
Nathan Collins, who has assumed the Irish captain's armband long worn by Coleman, emphasised the Everton skipper's role alongside fellow veteran John Egan after the famous 3-2 win in Budapest.
"I had faith in this team," said the Brentford captain.
"There's two people that have come into this camp recently, and that's Séamus Coleman and John Egan.
"What they've put into the team, the energy they've given and the belief and faith they've put back into us from when we were so down, it's unbelievable credit to them."
Earlier this month, Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom had said that Robbie Brady was also nearing a return to action after missing all six of Ireland's qualifying group games in the autumn.
