Thursday 16 October 2014 13:21, UK
Ross Barkley's long-awaited return to the Everton first team is imminent after he returned to full training on Monday, manager Roberto Martinez has confirmed.
Barkley sustained knee ligament damage in training before the opening Premier League fixture at Leicester, an injury which had looked set to sideline him until at least November.
But Martinez revealed the 20-year-old has recovered ahead of schedule and, speaking at his Thursday press conference, explained the positive impact his return has already had on the squad.
"He's really close, he's had a very good period of work now and came back on Monday with the group and has reacted extremely well," Martinez said.
"Sometimes you forget what a sensational footballer he is and when you see him at full flow you realise. He's a bit infectious around the place he’s desperate to play and his work this week has been very, very good.
"It’s too early to tell if he’s going to be involved on Saturday but I don’t see him being too far away from a return."
In light of the recent club versus country debate, Martinez was asked for his thoughts on whether he would welcome Barkley’s participation in next summer’s European U21 Championships.
And while he appeared to welcome his inclusion in the squad, Martinez explained a player's involvement rests heavily on the amount of games they have played throughout the season.
"Ross now is coming from an injury and he hasn’t played that much football so far," he added. "So if the tournament was now, it would be a good opportunity for Ross to get some playing time.
"If he's been in a season where he’s played consistently for 10 months, you can understand that he needs to have a bit of a break."
