"My understanding...": Wolves receive huge injury boost that could aid bid for Europe - opinion

Star Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves could return from injury sooner than expected, with the Portugual international absent from action for the last month.

Wolves manager Bruno Lage told the media earlier this month that Neves’ injury ‘was not as serious’ as previously expected.

Moreover, injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries website, is ‘hopeful’ that the 25-year-old could be back playing earlier than planned – speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“My understanding initially hasn’t changed a great deal even with this new info.

“We’re talking about an MCL here. The indication that it was a grade two.

“I was working on the premise that we could maybe see a return around early to mid-May. I am still fairly hopeful that is the case.

“It happened against Leeds. He tried to continue but he couldn’t. He then went out to Portugal for some rehab and recovery.

“The target was always going to be around game week 35. I think there is a strong possibility that he’ll play again this season somewhere around there.”

With securing European football next season still possible for Lage’s men, the Portuguese manager will be desperate to have as many players fit for the run-in, particularly key men like Neves.

The midfielder has been excellent this term, averaging a 7.2/10 match rating in the Premier League, according to SofaScore.

Moreover, with Wolves eighth in the league and two points behind West Ham in seventh with six games to go, the 25-year-old’s return will be very welcome.

Granted, it’s incredibly unlikely that Neves will be fit in time for the West Midlands outfit’s trip to Burnley on the 24th of April, however, Brighton at home on the 30th could be a potential return date.

With plenty of speculation