West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan has disclosed that striker Daryl Dike has stepped up in his recovery but ruled him out of playing a part in the remaining games in the year.
The United States international ruptured his Achilles at Stoke City in April, his third major injury in two years at The Hawthorns.
But Dike has begun to partake in some non-contact drills in Albion training, as well as analytical work – though is not yet ready to step up to full team training.
“Yes, it is impossible to do this (expect too much),” Corberan said of Dike.
“We need to be patient with him and manage the situation well, he’s been a lot of time injured out of the group and we need to manage well everything we do with him.
“The positive thing is now he starts to integrate making some of the drills with the group, it doesn’t mean he is training with the group, but some of the drills the medical staff consider ready to do. In-game situation drills he still can’t be involved, in this type of injury there is a level of strength the player needs before the normal things with the group.
“It’s going to be impossible for him to come back to the group before next year, so 2024, that’s when we can start to be thinking of the normal integration and from there you can see how he reacts first. The first thing we need to do is integrate him in normal training situations and after it depends how he reacts, we will see. To put a time is not possible.”
