QPR’s Diakite close to first-team return, confirms Hughes

Queens Park Rangers' Samba Diakite (right). Photo credit: Ashley Pickering/PA wire

Friday, September 14, 2012
7:22 PM

Samba Diakite is back in full training with QPR and is close to a return to the first team, manager Mark Hughes has confirmed.

Rangers’ Mali international missed his side’s match at Manchester City two weeks ago and returned to his native country to deal with personal problems, leading to reports that the 23-year-old was suffering from depression.

Those claims were strenuously denied by Diakite, who returned to training with Rangers this week, but is set to miss tomorrow’s west London derby against Chelsea.

And Hughes stressed that the midfielder will be given all the time he needs before he returns to the side.

“He’s had a few problems which have caused him some anxiety, and we’ve tried to give him the time to deal with that. But he’s back at the club now,” Hughes told London24.com.

“He’s missed a little bit of training so he’s not match fit, but he’s back with the group and hopefully he’ll be fit in the next couple of weeks and return to the team.

“We want to make sure he’s fit and well and back playing as soon as possible. We’ll be guided by how he feels and what he can cope with in terms of his football.

“We’re positive and he’s positive, he’s glad to be back with us.”

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