Source: Daily_Mail
Downing a step closer to long-awaited Villa debut but faces another op first
Stewart Downing, Aston Villa’s £12million summer signing, will move a giant step closer to returning to action on Monday when he has an operation to remove the pin from the foot he broke playing for Middlesbrough — against Villa — in May.
The England winger is targeting a return to action in November, a month ahead of schedule.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill said: 'He [Downing] is having the pin removed and we will then see how long that takes to heal up.
'Obviously he has to have it removed so he has to have an operation. But his progress is really encouraging.'
