Laville eyes up Premier return

FLORENT Laville can put himself back in the first team frame with a solid performance in Portugal next week.

The Frenchman, missing from first team action for more than a year, is pencilled in to play in Friday night's friendly against Belenenses in Lisbon and, if he comes through that, he could be pressing for a Premiership return.

"If he gets 90 minutes he would be as near as he could be to being considered," Phil Brown confirmed.

"Then it will be about confidence in training and confidence in games."

Laville has had a handful of reserve team games -- two in just 48 hours this week -- after confirming his recovery from the knee injury he sustained against Middlesbrough last September, just five games into the season. He suffered a minor setback in the spring when he needed further surgery but has come through the ordeal and could soon add to Sam Allardyce's defensive options.

Wanderers arranged the game against Belenenses, who play in Portugal's top division, to provide a competitive edge to the training break that covers the gap in the Premiership programme.

But 10 members of the senior squad will be away on international duty with Jussi Jaaskelainen, Jay-Jay Okocha, Radhi Jaidi, Tale Ben Haim, Gary Speed, El-Hadji Diouf, Ricardo Gardner, Henrik Pedersen and Stelios all on World Cup duty and Nicky Hunt in Under 21 action.