After a six-week absence, Timothy Weah is back in full training with Lille and will be available for their midweek Ligue 1 home game against Lorient on Wednesday, the team confirmed today.
Lille head coach Jocelyn Gourvennec confirmed Weah’s availability in the team’s press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash with relegation strugglers Lorient.
Addressing the health status of his squad members, Gourvennec stated that Weah is amongst the players who are once again available, simply saying, “we have recovered everyone: Timothy Weah and Léo Jardim have returned to the squad.”
Wednesday’s game was originally set to be played on January 8, however was delayed due to a high number of Covid cases in the Lorient squad at the time. The postponement could work out in Weah’s favor, as it might provide him with an opportunity to return to the field in competitive action prior to the announcement of Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT squad expected later in the week.
The American last took the field for Lille on December 1 in a 2-1 victory over Rennes, a game where he set up their opening goal. After suffering a muscle injury in training prior to their next game, he has subsequently missed their last four in Ligue 1 play and another in the Coupe de France.
With Lille winger Jonathan Ikoné having been sold to Italy’s Fiorentina during the current transfer window, a healthy Weah is expected to play a large role in Les Dogues attack for the remainder of the season.
A successful return would be a timely boost to the US National Team as they face three critical World Cup qualifiers beginning on January 27, a stretch of games that could put them on the cusp of securing a trip to Qatar in November, or alternatively leave them in a difficult spot heading into the final two games in late-March.