Italy forward Rossi won't rush return from knee injury

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FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Fiorentina forward Giuseppe Rossi says he will not rush his return from his latest knee surgery.

Rossi has been sidelined since undergoing a fourth operation on his troublesome right knee at the beginning of September.

On Thursday the American-born forward says "I have to respect all the timetables, without being in a hurry. We are working every day, we're nearly there, but I will return the day my knee tells me so."

Rossi tore his right anterior cruciate ligament during a game for Villarreal against Real Madrid in October 2011 and needed three operations before returning in May 2013 with Fiorentina.

He also missed four months of last season with a sprained ligament, and the New Jersey-born striker was left out of Italy's World Cup squad because of that injury.