Ralph Hasenhuttl has confirmed that Cedric Soares is making good progress in his recovery from a calf injury.
The Portugal international will be unavailable for today’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the manager was optimistic about the defender being back before too long in his press conference on Thursday.
Cedric has been absent since pulling out of the starting line-up before the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last month, with James Ward-Prowse and Yan Valery deputising at right wing-back.
Hasenhuttl, as quoted by the club’s official website, delivered a positive verdict on the progress of Moussa Djenepo and Cedric, the only two injury concerns for Southampton.
The boss said:
The internationals are all back fit so we’re just without Moussa and Cedric.
Moussa has made developments and his recovery is okay, but he’s still not 100%. He’s on the pitch and can do a lot of things, but not everything. We are trying to rise the intensity of the sessions, but it will take time.
He [Cedric] maybe a little bit quicker, but his calf injury takes time to heal and at the moment it’s not as quick as we thought.
Also for him, it’s not most important that he’s back as quick as possible but the most important thing is for it not to happen again.
Read Southampton’s verdict
Cedric has played well since being brought back into the fold, and he can’t come back soon enough.
Hasenhuttl is correct that Saints must not rush him, and care must be taken as he nurses a calf problem.
Yan Valery is also a capable deputy but has not shown the same level of quality this season as he did in his breakthrough year under the boss.
Cedric is the club’s best right-back, and his presence provides Hasenhuttl with tactical flexibility, an outlet down the flank and a calm head at the back. Having him back for the Leicester game would be more than welcome.
