RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Brazil midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso could be forced to wait until next year to make his debut for new club Sao Paulo.

Ganso, who joined the Brazilian top division outfit last week for 12 million US dollars, is still struggling with a left thigh injury suffered while playing for former club Santos last month.

"Our objective is that he returns this year but it's not possible to confirm that this is going to happen," Sao Paulo's physiotherapist Luis Rosan told Radio Globo on Friday.

"He will only resume training when he is no longer feeling pain and the muscle has fully healed."

Injury has limited Ganso to just five out of a possible 26 matches in Brazil's Serie A championship this season.

In May he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery before suffering a thigh strain - unrelated to the current injury - while representing Brazil at the London Olympics.