THE A-League season may still be seven weeks away but Melbourne Victory skipper Adrian Leijer is in a race against time to be fit to lead his club into its first campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

While the boss is happy with the integration of his new players and the progress the squad is making, his only concern is over the fitness of the 26-year-old.

Adrian Leijer. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

Leijer missed the end of last season so that he could have groin surgery. But he is yet to reach the fitness levels the club's management had hoped.

''Adrian is not back to full training and he is the only real issue we have at the moment,'' Postecoglou said yesterday.