Ndidi could be back in action next week

QUICK RECOVERY FROM INJURY FOR CITY MIDFIELDER

WILFRED Ndidi could make his Leicester City return as early as next week after a speedy recovery.

The defensive midfielder, right, had been ruled out until Christmas following surgery on an adductor muscle, but manager Brendan Rodgers said he is now in contention to feature when City travel to Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League a week on Thursday.

It’s yet more promising news on the injury front, with City’s injured first-team regulars all now close to returing.

While Ndidi, Timothy Castagne (hamstring), Caglar Soyuncu (adductor) and Ricardo Pereira (knee) will not feature in tonight’s

Europa League tie in Braga, Rodgers did bring updates on the quartet in his pre-match press conference.

“Timothy hasn’t travelled, so we’re just monitoring him over the course of this week to see where he’s at before the game on Monday (against Fulham),” said Rodgers.

“Wilf is progressing really well, so we’ll see the possibility of him when we play in Ukraine, so that’ll be great news.

“Cags, he’s a bit further down the line with him, but we’ll see where he’s at in the next few weeks.”

Ricardo made his first outing in City colours in eight months on

Monday when he played for the Under-23s in their 2-1 win over West Ham.

But he will require a few weeks to build his match fitness given the length of time he has been on the sidelines.

Rodgers said: ““We hope over these next two to three weeks he can build up his match fitness and then hopefully very soon be playing in the first team.

“The intensity of the Premier League is at a very high level, so we have to make sure his football fitness is enough to arrive in the games.

“We’re very excited to bring him back into the team.”