Real Madrid could welcome Ferland Mendy back sooner than initially expected, with the French defender making encouraging progress in his recovery from the serious injury that ended his last campaign.
According to Mundo Deportivo , Mendy is targeting a return towards the end of September after undergoing surgery in May to repair a rupture of the rectus femoris tendon in his right leg.
The revised timeline comes after fears that the injury could keep him out for much longer .
Instead, Real Madrid's medical staff is pleased with the way his rehabilitation is progressing, raising hopes that he could be back in team training before the end of September.
The French defender has already entered a new stage of his rehabilitation, with the defender recently spotted jogging around Valdebebas as he gradually increases his workload.
Mendy could return towards late September. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
The sight of the 31-year-old back on the training pitches is another sign that his recovery remains on track.
Hence, if everything continues to go according to plan, he could be available by the end of September, which would be considerably earlier than first anticipated.
For Mendy, simply returning to full fitness alone would represent an important milestone after another frustrating spell on the sidelines.
Notably, injuries have repeatedly interrupted his time at Real Madrid, preventing him from building the consistency that once made him one of the club's most reliable defenders.
Despite those setbacks, the coaching staff know exactly what the Frenchman can offer when fully fit.
Ferland Mendy underwent surgery in May. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Returning to action, however, is only the first challenge, as breaking back into the starting XI could prove even more difficult given how much Real Madrid's squad has changed during his absence.
This is because Alvaro Carreras arrived last season and is already trying to establish himself as part of the club's long-term plans.
This summer, Real Madrid strengthened further by signing Marc Cucurella , fresh from winning the FIFA World Cup and arriving with the reputation of being one of Europe's leading left-backs.
That competition means Mendy is unlikely to be rushed straight back into high-profile fixtures after recovering from a lengthy injury layoff.
