Vivianne Miedema's recovery from knee surgery is 'going well', with Netherlands boss Andries Jonker revealing a potential return date for the forward.
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Miedema had third knee surgery back in OctoberPictured on Man City's training camp last weekNetherlands boss Jonker hopeful of a return soonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Miedema had a third knee surgery in October, having had one in March of last year and also in late 2022, when she initially suffered a devastating ACL injury. It's been a tough couple of years for the Dutch star, who has also experienced a major change in her club career at the same time, ending a seven-year spell at Arsenal to join Manchester City last summer.
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Fans will have been relieved, then, to see Miedema pictured on the Cityzens' training camp last week as she looks to make her return to action. The English side play again for the first time after the winter break on Sunday, against Ipswich Town in the FA Cup, though it's unclear at the moment whether their marquee summer signing will be involved so soon.
WHAT JONKER SAID
Jonker has spoken positively about Miedema's fitness this week though. Appearing on on , the Netherlands boss said things were "going well" for the forward on City's training camp, so much so that he is hopeful that she can be included in his squad when the Dutch team meet up in February.
"We play on February 21 against Germany in the Nations League. I hope she will be there and deployable," he added. "A few days later we play in Scotland. I dare doubt she will play both those duels, but it is an objective to have her there."
DID YOU KNOW?
After so many knee surgeries, it's natural that some might ponder whether or not Miedema, the all-time top scorer in the Women's Super League and for the Dutch national team, can return to her best level. Jonker, though, has little doubt.
"I can base it on what I saw in February. It's real. She is still so terribly good. And I never saw her so fit last summer. I have the expectation that she will come back physically better than she ever was," he said. "I've had Viv in training a number of times and in the sparse moments she participates, you see she is of the upper class. She can play football so well."
Jonker went on to acknowledge that a lack of match rhythm can be a problem for a player, but added: "Except for the people who were born with a ball in the cradle. Those you can wake up and they can play football immediately."