Brian Madjo to rejoin full training during international break after injury layoff

Unai Emery expects Brian Madjo to resume full training with his Aston Villa team-mates during the forthcoming international window, according to Birmingham Live. The 17-year-old forward has been working individually while recovering from an injury sustained shortly before the club's final pre-season friendly against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Madjo made a memorable competitive debut for Villa when he found the net in the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, though the match ended in a 2-1 loss. That appearance followed a protracted registration process; FIFA initially blocked his move from FC Metz, completed in January, until the Court of Arbitration for Sport intervened during the summer to clear him for selection.

Since that European outing, however, the teenager has been unavailable. He has sat out each of Villa's opening six fixtures across all competitions, meaning he will also miss Saturday's Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Furthermore, he does not appear in the club's registered Champions League list, preventing him from featuring in European matches unless he is added for the knockout rounds later in the campaign.

Speaking about the striker's rehabilitation, Emery indicated that individual work is nearing its end. “In this break, he is going to start training with us collectively,” the head coach said, as quoted by Birmingham Live. “Now he is still working alone, but in this break, he is going to join us collectively and hopefully then after the break [he will play].”

Villa intend to use the pause in the domestic calendar to keep the squad sharp. A behind-closed-doors meeting with Southampton is scheduled at Bodymoor Heath, before the team travels to Spain for a friendly against Sevilla. Those matches could offer Madjo his first opportunity to build match fitness alongside the senior group ahead of the resumption of league action.