Cahill and Jones to miss start of season

(GETTY IMAGES)

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill will not be fit for the start of the new Barclays Premier League season.

The Australian is continuing his recovery from a broken metatarsal and joins promising young striker James Vaughan as a long-term absentee.

Spanish playmaker Mikel Arteta has provided better news for manager David Moyes, however, after resuming full training after stomach surgery.

Moyes told www.evertonfc.com: ""Mikel is training with us again and that is a boost.

"We are pleased with the progress that he has made and there is an outside chance that he will be involved when we play Cambridge (on Saturday).

"James Vaughan is coming on all the time but it is a slow process with him. It is the same for Tim Cahill and I am not expecting him to be fit for the start of the season.

"He is going over to Australia to see the specialist for a last check but it is so far, so good."

The Scot added: "We've got a few injuries to deal with.

"Leighton Baines (ankle) and Tony Hibbert (knee) are in the crew that have had operations, too, don't forget. Bainesy is ahead of schedule but we also know that we have got to be careful with them."

Meanwhile Sunderland boss Roy Keane has confirmed that striker Kenwyne Jones will miss up to two months of the new season through injury.

The 23-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international will consult a surgeon once again over knee ligament damage with his club hoping an operation will not be required.

Keane said: "Clearly there is knee ligament damage, but we are hopeful.

"We've got two or three weeks to play with yet but it would certainly rule him out for the first month or two whatever happens."

Jones was injured during the friendly clash with England on 1 June at Port of Spain when he was involved in a collision with goalkeeper David James.