Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has indicated that midfielder Nick Powell could still make a return before the end of the season, despite having been sidelined for several months with injury.
Powell, who joined the club at the beginning of the campaign after leaving Stockport, made a handful of appearances early on but has not played since September. His last outing came in a Carabao Cup match against Newcastle, where he started unexpectedly but was substituted at half-time. Shortly after, he suffered a serious hamstring injury that required surgery in October, ruling him out for an extended period.
Since then, the club has taken a cautious approach to his recovery, given his recent injury history. Powell’s rehabilitation has been carefully managed, with a balance between full training sessions with the squad and additional monitored work with the medical team. Alexander explained that Powell is now participating fully in training on certain days, while still being closely supervised in between to avoid any setbacks.
Encouragingly, Powell has been making steady progress and is regaining sharpness. The manager noted that the midfielder is training consistently, either with the team or under medical guidance, and is completing full sessions when involved. While the club remains cautious, there is growing optimism that he could still feature before the season concludes.
Initially, Powell himself feared that his injury might have ended his season prematurely. However, his successful rehabilitation has shifted that outlook, and he now sees any potential return as a bonus opportunity. According to Alexander, Powell has approached his recovery with a positive attitude and strong commitment, showing no hesitation or lack of effort in training.
Although breaking back into the team may be challenging given the current squad options and the limited number of games remaining, Alexander emphasized that circumstances in football can change quickly. He also highlighted Powell’s quality and the positive impact he made earlier in the season, suggesting that if he regains full fitness and resilience, he could still be a valuable asset.
Ultimately, while no guarantees have been made, there remains a possibility that Powell could play a role for Bradford City before the campaign comes to an end, depending on how his recovery continues to progress.
