Ferland Mendy close to Real Madrid return, reports Marca

Ferland Mendy is nearing a return to the Real Madrid squad after stepping up his rehabilitation from a thigh injury, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

The France defender has been training with the ball during recent sessions and is now close to rejoining full team training.

Mendy underwent surgery in May after being ruled out for several months. Real Madrid said at the time that medical tests had confirmed the player had suffered a tear to a thigh muscle.

“The tests carried out on our player Ferland Mendy have confirmed that he has a tear in his thigh muscle,” the club said in a statement.

Real Madrid added: “The length of his absence will depend on the pace of his recovery from the injury.”

Reports at the time suggested the French defender could be sidelined for 5 months if surgery was required.

Mendy has suffered a number of injuries this year and has missed most of Real Madrid’s matches during the season.

The French full-back has made only 9 appearances since the start of the current season, with recurring injury problems keeping him out of the remaining games.