DERBY County expect Simon Dawkins to be fit for the start of the new season.
Dawkins has missed the last two friendlies against Slavija Sarajevo and Burton Albion with a hip flexor problem.
So far in pre-season he has played 90 minutes against Zenit St Petersburg, 65 in the victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane and 45 in the win at Nuneaton Town.
Derby are hoping defender Zak Whitbread will join in training next week but have not put a timescale on midfielder Paul Coutts' progress.
Whitbread suffered a back injury against Northampton Town and has not featured in the last four friendlies. The centre-back did not travel with the squad to Austria last week.
Coutts played 45 minutes of the opening friendly at Matlock on July 3 but has been sidelined since due to a hip flexor injury.
"Zak has been doing some work in the last few days with the fitness coaches. He will hopefully join in next week, if everything goes to plan," said Simpson.
"Paul Coutts is a little bit further behind than that.
"I am not really certain at the moment when we can expect him to be back but he has had a tough time with injuries and it is one of those situations where he is picking up little niggles."
Coutts missed virtually all of last season after he dislocated a kneecap playing in a Capital One Cup tie against Leicester City last September.
