LATEST: Portsmouth boss reveals Callum Lang return target
Details from the Pompey boss today of when Fratton favourite Callum Lang will be back in Championship action.
John Mousinho has detailed the date for Callum Lang’s return to the Pompey fray.
The Blues boss has revealed the key attacker is in line for a return to action against Millwall next month, as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Milwall the target for Callum Lang
The home clash with the Lions falls after next month’s international break, and is broadly in line with the anticipated period Lang was expected to be sidelined for after undergoing surgery in August.
The 27-year-old picked up the latest issue in the home defeat to Norwich City, with a timescale of between four and eight weeks put on his period of rehabilitation. After seeking further medical advice surgery was sought in an effort to solve the problem, with Lang also spending more than two months out last term after being forced off with a similar injury against Oxford United in April.
Now Mousinho has given a latest update over Lang coming back, hopefully with the issue resolved.
The Pompey boss said: ‘Langy’s fine, he’s coming on fine. The timescale was 12 weeks - and he’s looking at the Millwall game as his target.’
Mousinho has provided an update on the other sidelined players at present, with Josh Murphy regarded as ‘touch and go’ to face leaders Middlesbrough this weekend.
Elsewhere, Nico Schmid is recovering from a bone fracture in his hand with Conor Shaughnessy (hamstring) and Thomas Waddingham (quad) also in the treatment room. In terms of the latter trio, none will be back by the time Pompey go to Leicester City on October 18.
Mousinho added: ‘We’re in the same situation with Murph and, apart from that, non of the long-term injuries will be back by then.’
Pompey boss’ latest on Crystal Palace signing
The other first-team squad member out at present is Franco Umeh, who Pompey fans have yet to see since his £500,000 arrival from Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day.
The Irishman arrived with a hamstring injury picked up in pre-season with the Eagles, with Mousinho initially suggesting the 20-year-old would be able to return to training this week. That’s no longer the case, with the winger’s earliest return date now after the international break, when Pompey return to action following this weekend’s clash with Boro at Fratton Park.
Mousinho said: ‘Franco’s still struggling with his hamstring. It’s one where he picked it up with Palace in pre-season, so he’s hasn’t had a pre-season. So we won’t be seeing him this side of the international break.'