Dean Smith provides positive fitness update on Aston Villa’s Matt Targett

Follow us on Google Discover

Aston Villa left-back Matt Targett is still yet to make his Premier League debut for Dean Smith’s side.

Dean Smith has suggested that Matt Targett will return to Aston Villa training by the end of the week, on the club’s official Youtube channel.

Targett has made a slow start to his Villa career, after picking up an injury on debut.

The £17 million summer signing (Telegraph) has been ruled out for the past fortnight but is due to return to training soon.

And Smith has suggested that Targett may well be available in two weekends’ time, when Villa take on Arsenal.

Smith said: “Matt Targett is due to train at the end of the week. I would expect him to be fit for the Arsenal game. I think Monday might come too quickly, as he’s had two weeks out.”

Targett has failed to displace Neil Taylor in Villa’s starting line-up until now, but could come into Smith’s team sooner rather than later when fit.

Taylor has had a mixed start to the season, and Targett will surely be pushing him hard for a spot in the team, given the big fee that Smith spent to bring the English full-back to Villa Park.

The claret and blues’ first game back after the international break comes against West Ham United, and they are under some pressure to pick up a positive result.