Villa’s Bouma may be fit for season start

Dutch defender Wilfred Bouma may be fit in time for the start of the coming season, according to Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill.

Bouma, 31, suffered a serious ankle injury in an intertoto match with Odense a year ago, and hasn’t been able to return to the first team since.

At the end of last season, the Dutchman was about to make his comeback but an unexpected complication required more surgery. “He had that setback but seems to have recovered from that,” O’Neill told the Express and Star.

“He is back training. He is pretty happy with proceedings and it’s just taking a bit more time.

“I Reckon he might be back some time in August, but please don’t hold me on that,” the coach concluded.