Hughes, Moult in line to join in for January
SAM Hughes and Louis Moult are on target to be key members of the Burton Albion squad for the second half of the season.
Assistant manager Dino Maamria says both are part of every training session now and looking good as they battle back to fitness.
Centre-half Hughes signed on loan from Leicester City for a second spell with Burton in the summer, although the club were aware that he was still going through his rehab after suffering a cruciate ligament injury last December.
He passed the anniversary of that injury on December 19 and played for an hour of the recent Birmingham Senior Cup victory over Nuneaton Borough.
Striker Moult, who had recovered from an ACL injury himself a year before, was a key summer signing for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink but injured his ankle in the pre-season friendly against Leicester City.
Once it was clear that the injury would rule him out at least until Christmas, the Brewers left him out of the official squad of 22 outfield players they had to submit to the EFL at the start of the season.
That squad can be changed in January, however, and Moult will be named in it, assuming he is now fully fit.
He was named to play in the Nuneaton game but withdrawn just before the start as a precaution.
Maamria offered an update on both players this week.
“Sam looks in great shape. He played an hour and he’s trained every day,” said Maamria.
“Hopefully, he’ll be available some time early in the New Year.
“He’s a brilliant addition to our squad and we’re really looking forward to having him, so that’s all good.
“Louis is training with the group and has not missed a day’s training for the past two or three weeks.
“He’s been good and is another one we will try to get involved in the early part of January. He’s not in the squad at the moment, but we can modify the squad in January.”
Club captain John Brayford also played for an hour in the Nuneaton game as he completes a long lay-off with a serious hamstring injury sustained against AFC Wimbledon in October. He has also been fully involved with training in recent weeks.