Former Derby County manager Paul Warne has revealed that Kane Wilson is edging closer to his return from injury and could rejoin MK Dons’ first-team squad within the next month.
Wilson has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury during his debut after completing a permanent move from Derby County to MK Dons. The setback required surgery and has kept the popular full-back out of action for almost a year.
Warne explained that the 25-year-old is making encouraging progress in his rehabilitation, although he is not expected to be available when the new League Two season begins.
“He’s in excellent condition physically and looks really sharp,” Warne said. “However, he’s still around four or five weeks away from training fully with the squad, so he won’t be ready for the opening fixtures.”
The former Rams boss added that Wilson has recently resumed straight-line running after spending months recovering, with medical staff waiting for the swelling in his knee to completely subside. He has also been using anti-gravity treadmills as part of his rehabilitation programme.
Warne acknowledged that Wilson will need time to regain match fitness after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the club planning to arrange games to help him build sharpness before returning to competitive action.
Wilson joined MK Dons on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee on transfer deadline day last September as Derby County reduced the size of their squad. His departure also came after the Rams signed right-back Max Johnston from Sturm Graz in a £3.5 million deal, limiting Wilson’s opportunities for regular first-team football.
During his two seasons at Pride Park, Wilson became a firm fans’ favourite thanks to his energetic displays and attacking style from right-back. After leaving the club, he thanked Derby supporters on social media, saying he was proud to have helped the Rams achieve promotion back to the Championship and secure their place in the division, describing his time at Pride Park as an unforgettable chapter in his career.
