Blues full-back Conor Townsend says he’s over the hamstring injury which ended his 2024/25 campaign and is expecting to be fully fit for the start of pre-season training later this week.

Townsend initially picked up the injury in the Wolves match on April 5th and aggravated it again in the Chelsea game a week later, which proved to be his final outing of the season, which meant he was unavailable when first-choice left-back Leif Davis was suspended following his red card against Arsenal.

The 32-year-old, who joined the Blues for £750,000 from West Brom a year ago, says he’s been in and out of the club during the close season and should be ready to join in as the squad’s preparations for 2025/26 get under way later in the week.

“I’ve been in over the summer sporadically just to make sure that it’s fine,” he told TWTD. “It feels sweet. I’m hoping to be fully fit for the start of pre-season on Thursday and hopefully I won’t have any more issues with it.”

Asked whether he’s a fan of pre-season, the Hull-born defender reflected: “Pre-season is what it is. It’s different to what it was when I first started football. At 18, you’re coming back and there are first-team lads who have obviously been on the all-inclusive all summer and come back overweight and they use it to get fit.

“But now, it’s not like that. Everyone comes back ready, everyone comes back fit and if you’re not you end up getting left behind.”

Fans keeping an eye on social media will have seen some players taking part in private fitness sessions over the summer.

“I haven’t this season, I have in previous years,” Townsend continued. “It’s quite a normal thing now for lads to go away, they can do their work on holiday. They go on holiday and get work in abroad with specialists.

“It’s always nice to do a session with someone else as well, doing running on your own can be a bit boring, a bit tiring. It’s quite normal. I know a lot of our lads are in Majorca at the minute on a camp, doing some special training out there.

“It just shows how the game has gone and how everyone comes back and everyone’s pretty fit.”

The players who have been away on international duty this month, including Omari Hutchinson, whose 2024/25 only ended on Saturday when he helped the England U21s to win the Euros in Slovakia, have been given additional time away.

Photo: Matchday Images

BangaloreBlues added 10:48 - Jun 30 That's great news. I expect him to be starting regularly, he's got serious talent and I feel he will be integral to our success.
5

johnwarksshorts added 10:51 - Jun 30 We need everyone fit and well for 25/26 season. Firing on all cylinders ready to rip up the Championship!
2

TheVoice added 11:09 - Jun 30 Good to see Townsend fit and well. Looked the part when given a chance last season hope he shines again this
4

flykickingbybgunn added 11:19 - Jun 30 It is not always about the headline players. Those like Townsend keep the first choice on their toes and provide great back up when needed. He is a prime asset.
4

busterjames1 added 12:42 - Jun 30 Hopefully Connor stays injury free .Class full back who defends very well and certainly stiffened the defence up when he played.
3

armchaircritic59 added 19:00 - Jun 30 Agree with pretty much everything posted above. Every team needs at least a player or two like CT. Just gets on with his job, reliable and consistent. Along with one or two other players, I thought he deserved more game time last season, particularly in matches where it was fairly obvious his defensive capabilities would be more valuable than LD's attacking ones. I hope he gets more game time this coming season, he's really too good to be a back up in a Championship side, though I'm pleased we have him!

0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls