Charlton defender Cory Gibbs is making a strong recovery from his long term injury woes and targeting a return to full fitness this summer.

The American international has missed the entire Premier League campaign due to his troublesome right knee, which flared up after the US v Morocco game last May and caused him to sit out World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Now, after almost a year on the sidelines, the Floridian finally looks to be on the road to a full recovery and a long awaited debut for Charlton Athletic at the start of the 2007/08 season.

"I'm back running, so I am positive about that," Gibbs told YA. "My plan is to be top fit by the end of the season and right now I feel really good. The most important thing for me over the summer is to get some really good training in, not necessarily 90 minute games but 11v11 or 8v8 small-sided games so I am back on target."

Gibbs was slated for a November 2006 return to action, but was quickly ruled out for the duration of the campaign. Despite being limited to a lone reserve outing, the 27-year old has remained close to his club's fight for survival.

"It is basically our season now," he said of the Addicks' relegation struggle. "I have been watching them all train and we look good, but it is going to be a dogfight to pull out those points from those next three games. We have Blackburn, Tottenham and then Liverpool, so it is down to the wire."

The South-East Londoners have two points to make up on their rivals if they are to avoid a drop to the Championship, but Gibbs is doing his best to be fit in time for the new season, whichever division his team will find themselves in.

"(Coach Alan) Pardew has been very good with me," he said. "He has just said 'get yourself back and be ready for preseason.' I can't afford to get injured again so I can't rush into things. I just have to do a lot of training, get a couple of games in before preseason and just be confident."