Leeds United left back Barry Douglas eyeing lift-off at start of Championship campaign

Douglas suffered the injury in the 3-2 win at home to Millwall at the end of March and the 29-year-old Glaswegian has been undergoing rehab on the injury throughout the summer, including in Portugal and Dubai.

The Scot then returned to pre-season training at Thorp Arch on Monday, braced for a tough summer but one the defender feels will benefit both himself and United's squad as a whole come the start of the new Championship campaign.

“It’s been a busy schedule for me, I’ve been working hard and haven’t had much time off, but hopefully it is going to stand me in good stead for the upcoming season,” Douglas told the club's official website.

“I spent two weeks in Portugal doing my rehab with the physios and some time in Dubai working as well and I feel really good physically.

“I’m at the last step now, I’m just progressing to contact and striking the ball again, but I’ve got pre-season and time on my hands, so I’m not going to try and speed up that process, it will come all in good time.

“It’s always nice to come back to Thorp Arch, it only feels like five minutes ago that we stopped, it went quick and even more so for me because I’ve been working.

“It’s great to see everyone again and we are all optimistic and raring to go for the season ahead."

Having only signed for Leeds from Wolves at the end of last July, this summer will also present Douglas with his first full pre-season with the Whites.

“I missed most of pre-season last year due to signing quite late, but from the stories the lads have told me, I’m expecting it to be really intense," said the left back.

“It is obviously the way the gaffer works things here and I think it showed, with how fit the boys were going into the start of last season.

“It is going to be hard work, pre-season is never easy, but we are putting the foundations in for the season ahead.”