Alfie Chang has not played for Birmingham City since sustaining a major knee injury during a training session last August.
Alfie Chang’s resolve to regain fitness following a catastrophic knee injury has piqued the interest of new manager Chris Davies, but the midfielder appears to be some way away from returning to the first team.
Chang, the Blues’ defensive midfielder, has been absent for nearly a year due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in late August 2023. The 21-year-old is still on the long road to recovery and has yet to train with Davies.
Davies provided a progress report on Chang, telling BirminghamLive: “He’s been out for a long time, and I haven’t actually trained with him yet. He’s been outside and done some running, and he’s gradually progressing through his rehabilitation.”
Chang, who made seven Championship starts for the Blues prior to his injury, has spent the last 11 months confined to the gym. The midfielder rode around Henley-in-Arden, where the Blues’ first team is located, to maintain his fitness until being cleared to jog a few months ago.
Davies remarked, “He’s working extremely hard. He’s the first person I see at the gym every morning, and I’ve heard nothing but positive things about his attitude and overall performance. He needs to keep going, get healthy, and see where he gets to.”
Chang has had a watchful eye in preseason as Paik Seung-ho and Jordan James have formed a midfield connection, albeit their futures remain uncertain. Marc Leonard, a new signing, is waiting in the wings of what appears to be a well-stocked Blues engine room.