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Nabbout eyes surprise A-League return

3 minute read

Socceroos winger Andrew Nabbout thought an adductor injury had finished his season but he could now return ahead of Melbourne City's A-League finals campaign.

ANDREW NABBOUT.
ANDREW NABBOUT. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty Images

Melbourne City are set to receive an unlikely boost ahead of their A-League finals campaign with winger Andrew Nabbout eyeing a return less than a month after tearing his adductor off the bone.

Nabbout's injury, suffered in the May 13 win over Adelaide United, scuppered his Socceroos hopes and looked to be season ending.

But he could return as soon as this week's planned rescheduled regular-season game against Newcastle - a massive boost to City's attack with Jamie Maclaren away.

"I'm not sure to be honest (if I'll face the Jets) because I'm aggressively rehabbing - it's sort of a day-by-day thing," Nabbout told reporters at Monday's A-League finals launch.

"I'll have a chat to the medical team and (coach Patrick Kisnorbo) and see what the options are and if I can roll the dice.

"We'll see - I'm sick of sitting in the stands watching so hopefully I can get out there sometime soon.

"(Finals are) a big one as well - that's why I started rehabbing so aggressively. I got off crutches and pretty much two days later just forced myself to run.

"With an injury this serious it's a little bit hard to tell and to put an exact timeline on it, but I'm working on it."

If Nabbout had been fit and selected for the Socceroos, that would have prematurely ended his A-League season anyway.

It means his potential finals availability is a surprise lift for both the 28-year-old and City, ahead of their semi-final on Friday, June 18.

"I did think my season was over," Nabbout said.

"When it happened I knew that I'd snapped my tendon - and after I did the MRI, it showed that it came off the bone completely which is normally a seven-weeker (injury).

"But I'm aggressively rehabbing and it's finals - so that gives you a little bit of extra motivation to get back and do everything you can to be out there with the team.

"It wasn't ideal, especially with the national team (selection) that was around the corner and I'm not sure whether I was in the mix for that, but it would have been nice to be able to go if I was selected.

"But now it's a blessing in disguise, obviously, because I possibly can come back for finals depending on how quickly I can heal."

Off-contract at season's end, Nabbout said while he had held initial discussions with City talks were on hold while the clubs awaited confirmation of next season's salary cap.

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