The Japan international has seen just 45 minutes of action in a City shirt so far
Hidemasa Morita, Joe Gelhardt and Charlie Hughes at the MKM Stadium on Saturday(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)
Sergej Jakirovic hopes to be able to welcome Hidemasa Morita back to training next week after a difficult start to his Hull City career.
Morita joined the Tigers on a free transfer from Sporting Lisbon in the summer transfer window but his game time has been limited to just 45 minutes so far.
That’s because the Japan international struggled with an issue in pre-season and he missed the opening round of Premier League action as a result.
Morita stepped into the side to face Coventry City the week after, but he played just 45 minutes at the CBS Arena. Taking him off at half-time was labelled a planned decision at the time but a calf issue was flagged in the days after and he hasn’t played since.
As such, City fans haven’t quite got to know the 31-year-old just yet, but Jakirovic is hopeful of seeing him return to training in the coming days.
If he’s fit and able, he may well be used in the friendly clash with Sheffield United on Friday at the MKM Stadium and while City will be reluctant to push him, a return to Premier League action in time to face Everton may well be on the cards.
“The reason is because he missed pre-season,” Jakirovic said when asked about Morita’s situation. “His last game he played at the end of May for Sporting and missed pre-season.
“We had to use him against Coventry because we had problems with Matt Crooks, he got an injury and now I hope he will be with us in group training [in the international break].”
City will hope to have Brooke Norton-Cuffy back fit for that Everton game too, while Nobel Mendy will return to the fold after missing the Newcastle United clash with concussion.
Ilyas Ansah can be expected to return to action in mid to late October at present, while Jack Butland and Charlie Hughes are pushing for returns later in the year.