Key Bolton Wanderers midfielder Kieran Lee is progressing well with his rehabilitation from a heel spur operation and has a chance of being back in action this week.
The 33-year-old has been out since February and has gone under the knife to have a bone shaving on his heel which was causing the midfielder some discomfort.
He has since returned to training at Bolton's Lostock facility but has not featured in recent reserves games against Fleetwood Town and Huddersfield Town.
READ MORE: 'Lucky' - Ex-Crystal Palace & Chelsea strikers' verdict on Wigan McClean booking call vs Bolton
The former Manchester United trainee will be back in action before the end of the regular League One season climaxes at the end of this month and Bolton now have six games left of their campaign.
Next up for Bolton are back-to-back home games against Portsmouth on Tuesday evening and next Saturday versus Sheffield Wednesday, Lee's old club.
Wanderers have been biding their time with a return for Lee owing to soreness around wear the midfielder had his operation and led to the midfielder struggling to get his boots on.
But that problem has now eased and Lee has become more involved in training, with the Bolton boss believing the veteran will not be too far away from a return to action as Wanderers face Pompey and then the Owls, two teams with aspirations of being in the play-offs by the end of the campaign.
Evatt said: “Kieran is doing very well. His heel around the wound was very sore and he was struggling to get his boots on but that has eased in the past week, got better and better, and I don’t think he will be far away.
“Every game for this football club is a big game.
"We’re a big football club that’s been expected to win and we want to win so we’ll regroup and take some heart and confidence from today and go again on Tuesday.”
