Tomas Rosicky hopes to be back in action for Arsenal during the opening weeks of the new campaign.

The Czech midfielder has endured a difficult spell out of the game since he last played for the Gunners almost 18 months ago, against Newcastle in the FA Cup in January 2008.

Speaking to Czech newspaper Sport, Rosicky said: "I think I will be back in the autumn."

A combination of niggling injuries in his hamstring and knee tendons, which proved difficult to isolate and treat with surgery, restricted Rosicky's rehabilitation programme.

The 28-year-old, signed from Borussia Dortmund in a £6.8million deal three years ago, resumed light training in May and has now rejoined the rest of the Arsenal first-team group as they prepare for the new campaign.

"According to my fitness coach Tony Colbert I could have been playing at the end of the [last] season as he thought my fitness was okay," added the winger.

"I think it was obvious from the training that I was ready to play, if not for 90 minutes.

"But the club decided not to play me. They saw that I was okay, but maybe they just did not want to take the gamble. Until I play in a league match I will not be able to tell what my chances are, but when it comes to fitness alone I am in better shape than when I came to Arsenal."

Rosicky is set to battle it out with Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott for a place on the Arsenal flank.

"I am missing the competition," the Czech midfielder added. "We have a strong team capable of moving mountains in all competitions."