Wilson looking at long-term benefits on road to recovery at Old Trafford

James Wilson is staying positive as he continues his recovery from knee surgery at Manchester United.

The striker suffered an ACL tear in October while on loan at Derby County, having to cut short his spell there as a result, and he underwent surgery straight after.

That all but ended his season and Wilson admits he is likely to return in 2017/18 rather than making a comeback by May.

The spell on the sidelines has inevitably been a frustrating one but the 21-year-old is optimistic that it will help him in the long-term as he tries to break into the United side.

(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

He said: “I was hoping that everything went well with the surgery.

“It was a very simple surgery, Steve Bollen did a great job in doing that. I just know I’m going to be back to what I was before anyway, so I’m just staying positive at the moment.

“With an ACL, you know it’s going to be like eight months and that pretty much ruled the season out.

“So, like I say, there is no rush for me. There are days when you’re just trying to get through it and keep going, I’d say, but I think I’m at the best club to come back to for the rehabilitation.

“The positives are it’s a break and I can kind of work towards things I probably couldn’t do during the season.

“I’m working hard in the gym and that’s something I’ve probably not had the chance to do with games coming thick and fast everywhere. I think it has benefited me in that way.

“But, yeah, it’s very frustrating not to be out on the grass every day, knocking the ball about.”