'It's an objective to have her there' - Vivianne Miedema's recovery from third knee surgery 'going well' as Netherlands boss Andries Jonker reveals possible return date for Man City star

Vivianne Miedema's recovery from knee surgery is 'going well', with Netherlands boss Andries Jonker revealing a potential return date for the forward.

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Miedema had a third knee surgery in October, having had one in March of last year and also in late 2022, when she initially suffered a devastating ACL injury. It's been a tough couple of years for the Dutch star, who has also experienced a major change in her club career at the same time, ending a seven-year spell at Arsenal to join Manchester City last summer.

UEFA Nations League A

Netherlands
Netherlands
2025-02-21T19:45:00.000Z14:45

Germany
Germany
WSL

Tottenham Hotspur Women
Tottenham Hotspur Women
2025-03-02T14:00:00.000Z09:00

Manchester City Women
Manchester City Women
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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fans will have been relieved, then, to see Miedema pictured on the Cityzens' training camp last week as she looks to make her return to action. The English side play again for the first time after the winter break on Sunday, against Ipswich Town in the FA Cup, though it's unclear at the moment whether their marquee summer signing will be involved so soon.

• WHAT JONKER SAID

  Jonker has spoken positively about Miedema's fitness this week though. Appearing on Langs de Lijn En Omstreken on NPO Radio 1, the Netherlands boss said things were "going well" for the forward on City's training camp, so much so that he is hopeful that she can be included in his squad when the Dutch team meet up in February.

  "We play on February 21 against Germany in the Nations League. I hope she will be there and deployable," he added. "A few days later we play in Scotland. I dare doubt she will play both those duels, but it is an objective to have her there."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  After so many knee surgeries, it's natural that some might ponder whether or not Miedema, the all-time top scorer in the Women's Super League and for the Dutch national team, can return to her best level. Jonker, though, has little doubt.

  "I can base it on what I saw in February. It's real. She is still so terribly good. And I never saw her so fit last summer. I have the expectation that she will come back physically better than she ever was," he said. "I've had Viv in training a number of times and in the sparse moments she participates, you see she is of the upper class. She can play football so well."

  Jonker went on to acknowledge that a lack of match rhythm can be a problem for a player, but added: "Except for the people who were born with a ball in the cradle. Those you can wake up and they can play football immediately."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MIEDEMA?

  While Jonker and the Netherlands hope to have Miedema fit and firing for the new Nations League campaign and, in the summer, the 2025 European Championships, Man City will also be keen to get her back on the pitch in sky blue as they bid to win a first WSL title since 2016. Gareth Taylor's side went into the winter break in second place, six points behind leaders Chelsea, having suffered a shock defeat to Everton in their final league outing of 2024.