1 week Ago By Sean Wallace
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has confirmed attacker Pape Gueye is on course to return from his long-term injury nightmare next month. And Thelin insists the Pittodrie goal hero is determined to come back “even stronger”. Former Senegal under-20 international Gueye has been sidelined for 10 weeks by a quad muscle tear that required surgery.
Gueye was in red-hot form and hit five goals in four games before suffering his injury setback during a training session. The 25-year-old played a key role in the record-breaking winning start to the season under Thelin. Gueye was top scorer in the Premiership with five goals from five leagues games prior to his injury.
Aberdeen have struggled recently and have slumped to a five-game winless streak. Thelin reckons Gueye, a £500,000 signing last summer, has “different skills” that can strengthen his team on his return. On Gueye’s return timeline, Thelin said: “It is sometime in January.
“Exactly when in January I can’t say. “But somewhere around there, not earlier than that. “The thing with Pape is he has some different skills than we have in the squad right now.
“Pape is a good player that we want to get back as soon as possible. “Until then we have supported him to help him come back.” One of the Premiership’s top scorers Gueye remained the Premiership’s leading goal-scorer for more than a month after suffering the thigh injury.
Despite a 10 week absence the Dons attacker is only one goal off the leading scorers in the Premiership – although Gueye has by far the highest goals per game ratio. Gueye sits on five goals from five Premiership matches. The this season are all on six goals – Sam Dalby (Dundee United), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic), Vaclav Cerny (Rangers) and Cyriel Dessers (Rangers).
They have all made at least 12 league appearances to reach that tally. Pape Gueye’s rise under manager Jimmy Thelin Gueye’s after a frustrating first season at Pittodrie. The attacker was secured in a £500,000 transfer from Belgian club KV Kortrijk last summer.
However, he made just one start and played only132 minutes of first-team action before being sent on loan to Norway in February. During his loan Gueye made 15 appearances for Kristiansund, delivering six goals and three assists. His stint in Norway was so impressive Gueye returned to Pittodrie in July and is revitalised under the management of Thelin.
Attacker Gueye determined to ‘come back even stronger’ Thelin says it was vital to support Gueye during his injury setback. He took the same approach with midfielder Dante Polvara during his time out with a hamstring tear that required surgery. Manager Thelin kept Polvara involved with the first team by during his rehabilitation.
Polvara recently returned to the first-team squad after four months out. Thelin said: “Everything is easy when it goes well. “But the most important thing is how we support each other when it is tough times.
“It can be different. Sometimes it can be an injury or something can happen outside football. “That is when you have to show how you support your team-mates as friends.
“We also have a really strong medical team and support at the club. “However, when you get an injury it is about how you take care of yourself. “Pape has done really well.
“There is always a big smile on Pape’s face and a lot of positive energy. “He is quite determined to come back even stronger.”.
