Leeds United pair Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo could both return to training next week after finally recovering from injury, reliable journalist Phil Hay has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Leeds heads to Brighton

The Whites return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, with Jesse Marsch's side making the trip to an in-form Brighton side.

Leeds are still buoyant after last weekend's 3-0 win at home to Chelsea, however, so it promises to be an entertaining game between two teams full of confidence.

Both Ayling and Firpo look set to be unavailable for the game but it looks as though their return to the fold is edging closer all the time.

The Latest: Firpo and Ayling return

Taking to Twitter from Marsch's pre-match press conference at Thorp Arch, Hay shared that the defensive duo should be back after the weekend trip to Brighton:

"Ayling and Firpo should be in full training next week."

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The Verdict: Huge boost

This is a big boost for Leeds, providing Marsch with much-improved squad depth ahead a busy run of fixtures, which will allow him to shuffle his pack more.

Neither Ayling nor Firpo have played a single minute of action so far this season - Rasmus Kristensen and Pascal Struijk have generally been deployed at full-back - but their return gives the manager so many options and will help retain a freshness in the group, also allowing Struijk to earn minutes in his natural position.

Granted, the pair may take some time to find full match fitness and be regulars again, but any news of Leeds' injury problems easing can only be good after what happened last season.