Injury expert Ben Dinnery has said that Aston Villa ‘are in dreamland’ knowing that Diego Carlos could return before the end of the season.
The Lowdown: Month or two…
Carlos has been out of action since August after rupturing his achilles against Everton. The Brazilian, who joined from Sevilla in the summer, actually suffered the injury in his first game at Villa Park.
Unai Emery admitted last month that ‘Carlos is getting better’, however, he said that ‘it will be a month or two’ before he is back around the squad.
That appears to point towards a return to action before the end of the season, something which Dinnery has been reacting to.
The Latest: Dinnery’s comments
Talking to Football Insider, Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, said that the defender is ‘making brilliant progress’ and said that ‘Villa are in dreamland’ knowing he could be back on the pitch before the end of the campaign.
“Diego Carlos is progressing really well.
“He’s not with the group as it stands, but he is training outside and working individually.
“He’s coming through those protocols and making brilliant progress.
“An achilles rupture is high on the list of injuries that will keep a player sidelined for a long time, and so Aston Villa are in dreamland after finding out he might be able to make a return to play before the end of the season.
“With things ahead of schedule at the moment, we’re certainly looking at game time towards the back end of February.”
The Verdict: Fingers crossed
Carlos was the marquee defensive signing in the summer, costing £26m, so the sooner he can return, the better. Villa have conceded 27 times in 20 Premier League games, more than West Ham who are just one point above the relegation zone.
The 29-year-old also comfortably outperformed Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa last season, as per WhoScored, so you’d expect he could be first choice when fully fit.
Therefore, returning before the end of the season could be key, especially when it comes to Emery preparing for his first full season in charge in the Midlands.