Frankfurt's head coach, Niko Kovac, confirmed at a press conference on Thursday the doctors had pronounced Marco Russ fit to return to football following successful treatment for cancer.

"Marco is healthy. He has permission from the doctors to go back to work," Kovac told reporters at Frankfurt's Commerzbank Arena. "We are all very happy with Marco's news. He was with us today and passed on the message."

Kovac said the 31-year-old Russ hoped to be able to return to the pitch at the club's January training camp.

"First of all he has to improve his fitness, but he wants to be as close to the team as he can be. He wants to travel with the team to Hamburg (where Frankfurt play on Friday)," added Kovac.

Russ was diagnosed with testicular cancer last May and played in the first leg of Frankfurt's relegation playoff against Nuremberg before undergoing surgery and later chemotherapy.

Last month, Frankfurt handed Russ a two-year contract extension, which will keep him at the club until 2019.

pfd/jh (SID, dpa, AFP)