Don is doing specialist work in Canada, following in the footsteps of Steve Lomas and others before him, and Glenn Roeder is delighted with how it is going.
"Don has had the clearance from Canada this week to resume running out on the grass," he says.
"He is well ahead of time and could be fit again by the end of September."
David James, Joe Cole, and Trevor Sinclair are still resting, and Glenn adds: "We don't think it is right just at the moment to play the three World Cup players.
"With Paolo, I was always going to check everything was okay with him, look at him for four or five days, and use him at Southend - which I will do.
"Paolo has been in Italy training hard; he has come back from Italy fully recovered, and is looking fine after a summer in Bologna where he has had special attention at a first class rehabilitation centre.
"He was always going to report back on 18th of July, which he did, and he is fully fit.
"As far as I am concerned he will be ready to start playing again on Tuesday, and there are no problems with his fitness."