'Hopefully' – Brighton midfielder update after eight-week injury and surgery blow

Brighton midfielder Matt O'Riley is steadily making progress from his ankle injury.

The £25m summer arrival from Celtic lasted just nine minutes of his debut last August in the Carabao Cup against Crawley Town before he was clattered by visiting captain Jay Williams.

O'Riley, 23, hobbled off the pitch and underwent ankle surgery but was captured on video this week making good progress during his rehabilitation at the Brighton training ground.

The Denmark international will clearly not be available to face Wolves this Saturday but he hopefully looks on track for a return in December at some point.

"Hopefully he will be posting videos of him back on the pitch soon," said Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler to Sussex World ahead of Wolves. "He is close and making good progress."

Brazilian striker Joao Pedro remains unavailable following his ankle injury sustained in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest and James Milner continues his recovery from a hamstring injury and is expected to be out for another few weeks at least.

Defender Adam Webster is also side-lined with a hamstring injury injury and is a couple of weeks away. Hurzeler also issued a fitness update for star striker Danny Welbeck who injured his back last Saturday after scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory at Newcastle last week.

“He will train today and then we will see and make a decision,” said the German. “Danny he got hit on the nerve and he did not feel the leg for some time and was very painful.

"It is still painful but again we have to make a check today. There’s a training session and then a lot of treatment for him. Our medical and our physios are working every hour with him to make him fit for the game. It will be a challenge for us but we hope everything will be good.”