, Slaven Bilic provides injury update on four West Brom players

Slaven Bilic provides injury update on four West Brom players

West Brom manager Slaven Bilic has been speaking to Birmingham Live to provide an update on the fitness of quartet Gareth Barry, Ahmed Hegazi, Kieran Gibbs and Conor Townsend.

Midfielder Gareth Barry has been out on the sidelines since March and left the club earlier this summer upon the expiry of his contract. However, he has been working with the club to return to fitness and now, he is close to returning to action. Once his recovery is complete, he will be offered a new deal by the Baggies.

Bilic provided an update on Barry’s fitness, saying:

“We speak every day. He’s in the gym and he’s out on the pitch also. He’s quite close and I think he thought it was going to be a bit earlier. It’s a matter of days, and he and Ahmed will be major boosts for us.”

Centre-back Ahmed Hegazi has also been out of action for a while and has been continuing his recovery over the course of the summer. Now, he has completed his rehabilitation and is in the process of returning to full match fitness, with Bilic saying that he is 90% ready but will not complete his return until he is at 100%.

“It’s a great thing. We had a game here on Wednesday and he did half an hour. He looked really good. He’s on 90%, that 10% you know…he’s still not ready to play in the Championship.

“You need that 10%, but it’s very difficult to get them through training, the match fitness. He’ll play one or two games for the 23s and I have no doubts that very soon he’ll be ready. It’s all about those 10%s. He didn’t have a long break, but it was long enough. It was surgery, but he looks great. Technically, he looks sound.

“It’s only match fitness that you can get only from matches, and on a big pitch. Hopefully we’ll combine u23s and our matches.”

Kieran Gibbs suffered a groin injury last month at Derby County but could return this weekend against Queens Park Rangers. And, the same goes for fellow left-back Conor Townsend, who picked up a back injury against Millwall earlier this month.

“Gibbo got injured at Derby, that’s an old injury that he has with his groin. It happens a few times a season, it’s nothing major but it’s enough to keep him out for a few weeks.

“He started training the day before Fulham. He had a slight knock in the game we played.

“Conor, unfortunately, felt something. It’s a matter of days. He’s a guy who didn’t miss a game last season, he was available every game. He should start training with us next week. It’s nothing serious, it’s a nerve in his back.”

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