Injured Real Madrid veteran targeting a comeback by end of September | OneFootball

Alvaro Carreras’ arrival this summer has seen Real Madrid’s left-back position significantly improved with the manager now having a high-quality starter in the position.

That, coupled with the promising performances delivered by Fran Garcia in the FIFA Club World Cup, leaves Xabi Alonso satisfied in the left-back department – so much so that Ferland Mendy, who is still fighting his way back to fitness has been forgotten.

The French full-back suffered a fitness blow back in April and has been out ever since. He was expected to be back in time for the first game of the new season but failed to hit that deadline as well.

Return around the corner

Mendy has been working at the club facilities for several weeks now and is pushing to return as early as he can, especially with his place in the manager’s plans more precarious than ever before.

As relayed by MARCA (h/t Madrid Xtra) in a recent update, the player is expected to return around the end of September and is thus about a month away from complete fitness.

Still some way away from returning. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

The player has already missed both of Real Madrid’s games this season and will not be available against Mallorca, Real Sociedad and likely against Espanyol. He could make his return to the squad for the team’s away game against Levante or the Madrid derby.

With there being two players ahead of him on the manager’s pecking order now, Mendy will not have it easy to reclaim his starting spot. Carreras, after all, has started strong and will give the manager no reason to drop him.

Yet, the Frenchman is insistent that he will not leave and that he can convince Alonso to incorporate him into his plans. Once he returns in September, however, he must primarily focus on staying fit given his horrendous injury record of late.

The player missed 142 days last season through injury and was unavailable for 23 games. In fact, he has missed a staggering 567 days through injury over his six seasons at the club.