Socceroos get boost ahead of key games as Daniel Arzani returns, Martin Boyle not far behind

On the back of Daniel Arzani’s long-awaited return from a knee injury comes the news that another key piece of Graham Arnold’s Socceroos puzzle will ‘be back sooner than first feared’.

Martin Boyle could be back for the Socceroos sooner rather than later.

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Just days after Daniel Arzani returned from a serious knee injury, Socceroos winger Martin Boyle is making better-than-expected progress with his fitness.

Boyle’s Scottish Premiership club Hibernian announced via Twitter that the 26-year-old is closing in on a return from his own knee issue.

“We’re pleased to report that @MartinBoyle9’s rehabilitation is coming along well and, if all goes to plan, he should be back sooner than first feared,” the club said along with a picture of the winger in training.

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Martin Boyle could be back for the Socceroos sooner rather than later.

Australian-born Boyle was fast-tracked into the Socceroos squad last year before debuting in a friendly against South Korea in Brisbane.

He scored twice in a 3-0 win over Lebanon in Sydney days later and looked set to be a key part of Graham Arnold’s plans for the Asian Cup in January but suffered a season-ending knee injury days before the tournament.

Boyle returned in a Scottish League Cup win over Elgin City in July but re-injured the knee and had to undergo surgery.

The update on Boyle’s progress will be welcomed by Arnold with Arzani - who injured his anterior cruciate ligament in a Scottish Cup fixture 10 months ago - making a successful return for Celtic’s reserves team earlier this week.

The former Melbourne City winger’s last appearance for Australia was the 4-0 friendly win over Kuwait last October.

Originally published as Socceroos get boost ahead of key games as Daniel Arzani returns, Martin Boyle not far behind