Haaland faces make-or-break fortnight

Injury-plagued Alfie Haaland has admitted the next two weeks will be vital to his chances of playing again.

The Manchester City midfielder has refused to accept his career is over, even though he has not started a match for over two years since the notorious incident involving Roy Keane at Old Trafford in April 2001.

Haaland is still considering whether to take legal action over the Irishman’s tackle, which he claimed exacerbated a long-standing knee injury.

After 18 months of treatment with no sign of recovery Haaland was informed by City in the middle of last season that he was being put on six months’ notice.

However, the Professional Footballers’ Association intervened on the 30-year-old’s behalf and the former Leeds midfielder has spent the summer working hard in an effort to complete a remarkable comeback.

“People ask me if they think I will play again but if I didn’t think it was possible I would have packed it in and not gone to the trouble of working so hard,” Haaland told the club’s official website www.mcfc.co.uk.

“I have trained all summer and the plan is simply to see how it goes. I am stepping things up gradually and the next two weeks will be vitally important.

“I am kicking the ball gently but need to step that up before the rest of the lads return for pre-season. It is still a bit early to say what may or may not happen but I certainly have not given up hope.

“I cannot give up until every avenue has been explored and I have given myself the best possible chance to play again.

“The knee has been okay with what I have done so far alongside physio Rob Harris and I have been following a fresh treatment plan over the last couple of months.

“Now only time will tell. It is important that I do as much as I can in the next two weeks.”

Haaland is hoping to be able to join the rest of his team-mates when they return for the start of pre-season training the week after next and finally get the chance to impress manager Kevin Keegan, who has barely been able to see the Norwegian in action during his time at the club.

By then, the City boss will have also learned whether Marc-Vivien Foe will be returning to the Blues after a successful season-long loan spell last term.

Keegan has pledged to do everything in his power to bring Foe back but although the Cameroon midfielder has almost negotiated release from the final year of his contract with French club Lyon, City are facing serious competition for his services.

And, they will need to offer the 28-year-old greater security than the one-year deal they are believed to have suggested.

“We have had six inquiries from clubs in the Premier League and we hope to have something sorted out by next Tuesday or Wednesday,” said Foe’s agent Willie McKay.

“But Marc will only go somewhere on a two-year contract. If he doesn’t get it, he will go back the Lyon for another season.”