Daniel Farke provides Ilia Gruev update after report from Bulgaria with Leeds United warning
Whites midfielder Ilia Gruev suffered a serious knee injury in October’s draw at Norwich City.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has provided an update on Ilia Gruev’s recovery after a report from Bulgaria with a Whites warning.
Bulgarian international midfielder Gruev sustained a significant injury to his meniscus in October’s 1-1 draw at Norwich City, the injury requiring surgery and an extended period of rehabilitation.
No timescale was given for Gruev’s return - only that the midfielder would be out for months as opposed to weeks following the blow in the fixture on October 1.
Bulgarian outlet 24 Chasa have this week reported that Gruev is back out on the grass and kicking a ball, albeit away from his teammates.
Farke, though, whilst admitting there were elements of truth to those reports, has warned that it will still be “a while” until Gruev resumes team training and certainly not in the next couple of weeks.
Asked if the report from Bulgaria that Gruev was back on the grass was accurate - and how his recovery was going, Farke said: "Back on the grass with trainers on and running on the grass instead of just running on the treadmill.
"He is doing some running stuff but it will last a while until he's really back in team training. Obviously, sometimes he has also his boots on to get used to his boots again, also like he runs with the boots.
“But he's far away from being involved in team trainings from tackles and whatever. He won't return back to team training in the next couple of weeks. It will last a while."