Tino Livramento has been out for nearly 8 months now, but he is another step nearer a return to first team football and that will be music to the ears of Southampton supporters.
Saints made no false promises to their supporters when Tino Livramento was injured against Brighton, back in April, they said it would be a long and tough recovery for the youngster, that has proved to be the case.
It would be 5 months before Tino would return to running, but that although the progress was in line with the schedule, it was still only light fitness work and three months later it's now been revealed that the ex Chelsea man has now taken another step with news he has returned to squad training with the Southampton B squad.
David Horseman the B team coach had this to say.
"We’re a really close club so we can tailor our training a little bit to help Tino and this is where we’re lucky,” Horseman told the Daily Echo.
"They add value to young players, although Tino is a young player himself. They come in and integrate with what we’re doing, and we do the same across the club so it’s no different, and they set such a good example.
"What we see is our own players raise their level, it’s been great to have them and we have had some in the best who have shown a great attitude, we just need to keep that if they can.”
It is great news that Tino has now returned to a squad environment and has upped the fitness level as well as having some physical action.
Horseman continued.
"I was talking to Tino yesterday after training and he was doing an individual session with Jayden Meghoma and Sam Amo-Ameyaw, and he was really impressed with their talent at only 16.
"You get those connections and it’s brilliant, we had Romeo (Lavia) train with us before he played versus Liverpool. When we’re around the building it’s really relaxed and everyone is supportive, and that’s the Southampton way.”
Also joining Livramento with the B team has been goalkeeper Willy Caballero who when playing in a recent B team game, played with several players around a quarter of a century younger than himself.
It will be interesting to find out if Livramento will join the first team squad who leave for Spain today for a 6 day training camp, certainly he would benefit from a warmer climate that would make it easier on muscles that have been dormant for a long period and now need to be brought up to the required fitness levels for the Premier league, something that needs to be be carefully monitored to ensure that the comeback isn't delayed due to muscle tear.