Aston Villa confirmed on Twitter that Henri Lansbury made his long-awaited return from injury and took part in a training session on Monday. The 28-year-old has been sidelined for more than two months, last featuring in the FA Cup against Swansea City on January 5, but he could make his comeback in the next few weeks.
Lansbury has spent the majority of the season on the treatment table, making only three appearances in all competitions, so his potential return will be celebrated. Supporters haven’t seen much of the midfielder since his 2017-move from Nottingham Forest as a result of injury setbacks, so time will tell if he can stay fit for the rest of the season.
The ex-England u21 international will have stiff competition for a starting place, however, with Jack Grealish, Tom Carroll and Conor Hourihane ahead of him in the pecking order. Lansbury still has two more years remaining on his deal with Villa but may be allowed to leave for the right price.
After making 18 Championship appearances in his debut season (2016/17), Lansbury has only racked up 805 minutes of football in all competitions in the last 22 months. Dean Smith won’t rush him back, but fans should see Lansbury play again in the first-team before the campaign comes to a close.
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