Daniel Farke is ‘cautiously optimistic’ Sam Byram will not require further surgery on a hamstring problem and will be back in the mix for the start of Norwich City’s Championship tilt.
Byram was City’s stand out piece of recruitment ahead of the failed Premier League survival bid but suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in February’s 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool.
Farke later revealed Byram had then developed a cyst following a bad reaction to a screw being inserted, but the versatile full back has responded to a course of injection therapy.
“It’s looking good,” said the City head coach. “The last two or three days he was back on the pitch and able to do some running drills and some careful exercises with the ball. But we have to be careful how the tendon and the muscles react.
“Perhaps by the middle to the end of next week we can make a decision whether we go further on with these processes or whether he needs surgery again.
“Then he would be out for a longer period. Hopefully we can make that final decision next week but at this moment I would say I am carefully optimistic.
“It looks like he is able to do some work back out on the pitch without any problems.”
Timm Klose (hamstring) and Alex Tettey (knee) miss the final weekend trip to Manchester City, but Farke allayed any fears they will be sidelined for too long.
“Timm is more of a muscle strain. Maybe out for two weeks. But no fears he is not going to be fit for the new season,” he said. “The same with Alex Tettey. His knee was swollen. We had to inject him and no chance for this weekend.
“Maybe if it was a Champions League final we try everything but at this stage we don’t want to take risks and he is injured for pre-season. No bigger fears.”
The duo join Grant Hanley (hamstring) and Moritz Leitner (hernia) on the sidelines, who have both undergone surgery in recent weeks.
Emi Buendia and Josip Drmic are suspended for the club’s Premier League swansong.
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