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Report: Record-breaking WBA star reveals he has ‘only just started walking’ following devastating injury

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Jonathan Leko has opened up about his ACL injury that has cut the 20-year-old attacker’s season short following a bright start to life on loan at Charlton Athletic.

The West Brom academy graduate revealed to The Birmingham Mail that he has only just begun walking again two months after Leko ruptured his ACL going for a 50/50 aerial duel against Queens Park Rangers before Christmas, with the report claiming that the youngster won’t be back to full fitness well into next season.

Leko had an encouraging half-a-season with Charlton after joining the club on loan for the year in the summer, with the England youth international scoring five and assisting four in 21 appearances for the Addicks as stats from WhoScored show, but this devastating injury has put the youngster’s promising career on halt, and the attacker knows the road to recovery will be a long one.

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Leko said: “In terms of coming back earlier than that, I think it’s too early to say, but when I start going back in the gym and running back, that’s when I can possibly start thinking about coming back earlier than expected. I’ve only just started walking so we’ll see how it goes. I was close to a couple of the physios before but I’m a lot closer to them now and I’m going to be with them for a lot longer!”

A record-breaker in West Brom’s Premier League years as Leko became the first player to be born in 1999 as reported by BBC Sport, the attacker will be kicking himself for being ruled out for so long after a promising start to the season on loan, yet his return to the Albion for treatment could be ideal for Slaven Bilic with the Baggies eyeing up Premier League promotion.

Being around the club will allow Leko to be around his new teammates as well as earn the trust of Bilic that he is ready for first-team football at West Bro, and after a productive few months with Charlton, the winger might well be in line for a return to the senior squad.

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