Everton's Marouane Fellaini expects to recover from ankle injury for start of next season

Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini hopes to be fit for the start of next season after spending three months on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

The Belgium international has been out of action since requiring surgery after a clash with Liverpool's Sotirios Kyrgiakos in the Merseyside derby in February.

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The 22-year-old has spent time in his homeland since his operation but is now having a rehabilitation period before the summer back at the club's Finch Farm training ground.

"I am much better now, I have been at training for two weeks," Fellaini told reporters.

"The first and second months were difficult because I had my operation but now it is good.

"I hope to be ready for the start of next season. I will start back in July or August."

Fellaini was one of Everton's more consistent players throughout the difficult opening months of the campaign but then subsequently missed their late resurgence.

Had he remained fit the Toffees might have had a better chance of completing their unlikely charge for a European place.

A run of just two defeats since December pushed the Merseysiders right into contention but last weekend's goalless draw at Stoke meant eighth place in the Barclays Premier League would be their limit.

"That is football," Fellaini said "We did not have a good start to the season but I hope next season will be better and it will be possible."

Fellow midfielder Steven Pienaar has been named as the club's Player of the Year while left-back Leighton Baines was voted Players' Player.

Fellaini might have been in contention for those awards had his campaign not ended prematurely, but the player himself remained modest when asked about what might have been.

"I don't know if I was having a great season because I played only six months," Fellaini said.

"I played well but it was not for all the season."