Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton has been out of action since January with a cruciate ligament injury, but Dean Smith says the 34-year-old is nearing a return to the first-team, as per Birmingham Live.
Aston Villa travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers this lunchtime, but the game may have come too soon for the shot-stopper.
Heaton’s last appearance in a Villa shirt came on New Year’s Day in a 2-1 win over Burnley, but he was substituted after 85 minutes with a serious knee injury. The England international had been out of action for 10 months until he turned out twice for the under-23s in November, so he has at least made a full recovery.
He is now building up his match fitness and improving his anticipation on the training ground before returning to the first team matchday squad.
As per Birmingham Live, Smith says he’s progressing well, explaining: “He’s played a few under-23 games so he’ll be pushing, certainly. He needs a few more games still to be in a position to push (Emi Martinez).”
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Heaton played 63 minutes in Villa’s 2-2 draw with Burnley under-23s and the entirety of their 3-2 defeat to Fulham under-23s last month (Transfermarkt), but those minutes will be invaluable regardless of the results.
Smith is likely to stick with Martinez in goal against Wolves and have Jed Steer on the bench today, but it’s fantastic news for the Villans that their number 1 is finally nearing a return.
In other news, one reported Aston Villa target hasn’t ruled out a return to the Premier League in January.
