The Republic of Ireland international has been on the sidelines since February with a long-standing groin problem and while he is making good progress, Kevin Keegan is happy to give him the summer to make sure he is fit for the next campaign.
Kevin Keegan: "I think he'll be fit by the end of the season and he'll train with us for maybe the last week or 10 days, but there's no sense for him to play a match.
"He just needs to know by the end of the season that he's fit, ready to go away and come back fit for pre-season with all his problems behind him.
"I think that, for him, will be a massive relief."