Jayden Joseph is back in training, but Leicester City will still be without the right-back for Tuesday’s EFL Trophy fixture against Walsall after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Joseph’s last appearance came in September, when Leicester City beat Stockport County 4-3, and he has now been out for nearly two months. That has left Russell Martin waiting on one more defensive option as Leicester prepare for their final group match.
Martin had previously suggested Joseph could be back in contention for the Huddersfield Town game, but the manager has now made clear that the defender still needs time before he is ready to return. Leicester are not rushing him back, even with selection options already stretched.
Leicester still dealing with absences
The Joseph update comes at a time when Leicester City are already managing multiple injuries. Jakub Stolarczyk was injured in September during the 2-0 win over Plymouth Argyle, while Ben Nelson ruptured his ACL in the pre-season defeat against Genoa. Both remain long-term absentees.
Martin has also pointed to international call-ups as another factor limiting his options. That means Leicester head into the Walsall game with a thinner squad than they would ideally like, even after opening the group with a 6-1 win over Fulham Under-21s before losing 2-1 to Stevenage.
For Leicester, the focus now is less on one game and more on how many pieces they can get back in place over the coming weeks. Joseph’s return to training is a positive step, but Tuesday will come too soon.
Martin’s broader message has been clear: the club wants to protect its injured players first and worry about short-term pressure second. As he put it, the priority is making sure they are looked after, which is why Leicester are taking a cautious approach with Joseph and the others.
That leaves Leicester with another test against Walsall, and another reminder of how thin the margins can be when injuries, absences and fixture timing all hit at once.
