Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is pencilled in to return to first-team training by the end of October, after a nightmare ACL injury.
The youngster was sidelined on international duty with the England U21s last October, and is therefore yet to feature under new manager Jurgen Klopp.
Gomez started the 2015/16 campaign brightly following a £3.5 million move from Charlton Athletic, with this setback derailing an encouraging development in his blossoming career.
This was further hampered by a heel injury suffered during pre-season, after initial suggestions he was fit to take part in the Reds’ summer preparations.
Klopp has continually reaffirmed his belief in the versatile defender, however, and this could soon pay off.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Gomez is set to make his comeback by late October, returning to first-team training after a year out of action.
However, this is unlikely to be followed by his first appearance under Klopp until he has proved his fitness on the training field.
This follows the steady reintegration of Danny Ings, who suffered a similar injury at the same time last year.
Ings made his return to the Liverpool first team for their final Premier League clash of 2015/16, coming on as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.
But despite featuring during pre-season and regularly for the Liverpool U23s, Ings is yet to play for the senior side this season.
However, Klopp considers both players important to his squad for 2016/17, and this saw him reluctant to move for another defender in the summer transfer window.
Gomez played the majority of his games last season at left-back, and this is where he could initially turn out under Klopp.
Klopp has moved to mould James Milner into his first-choice left-back, with Alberto Moreno as deputy, but Gomez’s return would provide him with another, more balanced option.
This remains a long way in the distance, however, as Gomez’s recovery continues into autumn.
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