Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is ready to start training again after a couple of weeks on the sidelines.
The youngster, who is on a season-long loan from Angers, has been recovering from an abductor injury he sustained against Chelsea at the end of last month.
Ait-Nouri had to be taken off at half-time at Stamford Bridge, with Nelson Semedo shifting across to cover and Ki-Jana Hoever coming on at right-back.
It looks as though he’s an option again though for the first-team, with Nuno Espirito Santo providing a positive update on the player at his press conference today.
He said (as quoted by the club’s official website): “Rayan [Ait-Nouri] is available to join the squad tomorrow, Marcal not yet.”
On the basis of that, it could be that £37,000-a-week star (Spotrac) will have some kind of involvement against Southampton tomorrow night in the FA Cup.
Failing that, he could be play when the sides meet again in the Premier League on Sunday at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Ait-Nouri has fierce competition now
It could be that from here, Ait-Nouri doesn’t get quite as many minutes for Wolves.
Jonny Castro Otto returned against Leicester City on Sunday and will become the left-sided defender on a regular basis once his match fitness is up to scratch.
With Fernando Marcal also to come back into the fold, and Romain Saiss able to offer cover, it could be that opportunities for Ait-Nouri start to dry up a bit.