Heinze makes progress

Carlos Queiroz has revealed long-term injury victim Gabriel Heinze could be back in the Manchester United side before the end of the season.

Heinze ruptured knee ligaments during the Champions League draw with Villarreal in September but has now returned to United’s Carrington training ground after spending most of his rehabilitation period in France.

Although they are aware the popular Argentina defender is desperate to prove his fitness ahead of this summer’s World Cup, United’s backroom staff are determined not to rush Heinze back before he is ready for fear he might break down again.

But Queiroz admitted if all goes well during the initial stages of Heinze’s more intensive training regime, the former Paris St Germain star will play again this season.

“Everything is going fantastically for Gaby so far and hopefully, in four to six weeks, he will be fit,” said Queiroz.

“He is not training with the team yet, just following his individual recovery preparation, but he is doing well.

“We will not rush him, just follow the recovery process week after week but we still hope he could play again before the end of the season.”

With United’s season concluding with a Premiership clash against Charlton on May 7, Heinze has an extra month to work on his fitness before Argentina begin their World Cup campaign against the Ivory Coast in Hamburg on June 10.

United may be reluctant to let their player disappear on international duty without having at least played one game for them first, although Queiroz revealed a firm decision on Heinze’s participation in the World Cup will be made in liaison with the Argentina medical staff nearer the time.

“The most important thing in all this is the player and whether he is totally recovered and ready to play,” he said.

“The final decision to give him clearance should be made by us and the Argentine medical staff.”

Meanwhile, Queiroz was also able to deliver some good news on another long-term absentee, Alan Smith.

The tenacious England star suffered an horrific injury in the FA Cup defeat to Liverpool at Anfield last month but may soon be able to step up his recovery programme as a pin inserted into the ankle he broke trying to stop John Arne Riise’s free-kick is removed next week.

“Alan will have another operation to remove the pin next week and then he can start the next stage on his recovery process,” confirmed Queiroz.

“He is able to work in the gym now and compliment his preparation with other exercises.”

However, hopes Smith may be back for the start of next season have been dashed by the midfielder’s agent Alex Black, who believes the autumn is a more realistic proposition.

“Alan is not setting any timescale because if he doesn’t achieve that people will be saying there has been some sort of setback and he doesn’t want that,” Black said.

“But the autumn has been mentioned and that seems reasonable.

“He has been away on holiday for a break and he has been in to see the doctors again.

“He’s now had an air cast put on, which is a bit different from a normal plaster cast and that will be on for another few weeks. Obviously they’ll be a lot of rehabilitation work once that comes off.”