Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant takes major step towards Paderborn comeback

Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant has made significant progress in his recovery after completing his first full training session with SC Paderborn 07 in several months.

The 26-year-old centre-back participated in the entire team session on Wednesday, marking another important milestone after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

According to the Westfalen-Blatt, Paderborn intend to manage his return carefully to ensure he regains full fitness without suffering another setback.

“We will first see how his body responds,” head coach Ralf Kettemann explained.

The coach indicated that Awortwie-Grant could spend another one to three weeks training with the first team before potentially making one or two appearances for Paderborn’s under-21 side. The plan is to gradually rebuild his match fitness before considering him for competitive first-team action.

“But what he is doing looks good,” Kettemann added, expressing satisfaction with the defender’s progress.

Awortwie-Grant has endured a frustrating recovery after sustaining a knee ligament injury in July. The setback disrupted his preparations following his summer arrival at Paderborn and has prevented him from making his competitive debut for the club.

His last appearance in a Paderborn shirt came in a pre-season friendly against Hannover 96 on July 11.

Although completing a full training session represents an encouraging development, the defender is not yet expected to return to competitive action immediately. The club will continue monitoring his response to increased workloads before deciding when he can resume playing.

For Paderborn, Awortwie-Grant’s eventual return would provide another defensive option as the season progresses. For now, the priority remains ensuring that the centre-back completes his rehabilitation successfully and returns to action when fully prepared.