Julen Lopetegui was asked whether there’s a chance winger Chiquinho could return from his injury for Wolves before the current season is out.
The youngster is the only first-team Wolves player to have not played a single minute so far this season.
That’s because Chiquinho came into the 2022/23 season having suffered an awful knee injury in the summer.
Wolves took on Burnley in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
And Chiquinho sustained a nasty injury that left him with knee ligament damage.
He required surgery, and it was thought he might not play this term.
But Chiquinho – who cost Wolves around £3 million just over a year ago – has actually been included in Wolves’ updated Premier League squad, suggesting there is a small chance he could play towards the end of the campaign.
Striker Sasa Kalajdzic was left out of the squad.
Speaking about the potential for Chiquinho to return, Lopetegui said (Birmingham Mail): “It depends. With the kind of injury he has had I cannot answer you. I hope and wish he is ready as soon as possible.”
Supposedly, Chiquinho is ahead of schedule in his recovery.
Apparently he has been working ‘tirelessly’ in the gym, and it is not out of the question he could see some minutes.
Encouraging news regarding Chiquinho, it would be great to see him return this season
Chiquinho being included in Wolves’ Premier League squad does suggest there is a small chance he could make his return at the end of the season.
And that would be brilliant to see.
Chiquinho picking up such a serious injury when he did was massively unfortunate.
The livewire was Wolves’ best player in the last few weeks of the 2021/22 season, and fans were very excited to see him from the off this term.
But he was robbed of the chance to really kick on.
Hopefully he can come back stronger in the 2023/24 season.