Leicester City hitman Jamie Vardy has finally returned to full training after undergoing a minor groin surgery, just in time for the important Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur tonight.
The 29-year-old striker had to sit out the 2-2 draw with the Spurs in FA Cup third round tie at White Hart Lane but is all set to guide Leicester’s attack again in Wednesday’s match.
Vardy is currently Premier League’s joint top scorer, level with Everton hitman Romelu Lukaku on 15, but he hasn’t managed to score since the 2-1 win over Chelsea on 14 December.
Leicester, who are two points adrift of league toppers Arsenal, posted a picture of the England striker on their official Twitter page as he continued his return from injury at their Belvoir Drive training complex.
Guess who’s back in training?… #TotLei pic.twitter.com/g3653iNcC2
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 12, 2016
“He is getting better,” Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said earlier this week. “This morning he joined in the warm up with the team and then trained differently, so tomorrow I will check. I think he will be okay.
“I don’t know exactly what the problem was. I am not a surgeon. It is a little problem he had and the procedure was small. Now he can run normally without any problem.
“Jamie had a problem for a month, more or less, and he continued to play. Now without the problem is much better. I’ll see if he starts from the beginning and if he is ready to come with me on the bench. Every time he wants to play, I know him.”
The 28-year-old lethal attacker has gone through several injuries this term, including a broken wrist and a hip problem for which he had to take even pain-killing injections, while most recent setback priot to the groin operation was a viral fever but he managed to play in Leicester’s Christmas fixtures.
Vardy has so far scored 15 Premier League goals this term, including a record run of goals in 11 consecutive matches, although he has only one goal in his last six appearances.
But the Leicester marksman firmly believes he can carry his exceptional form the second half of 2015 into the new year and secure his place in the England squad for the European Championship in France.