CHRIS LAKEY Luckless Canaries defender Matthieu Louis-Jean can finally see light at the end of the tunnel after a tough first year at Carrow Road.

CHRIS LAKEY

Luckless Canaries defender Matthieu Louis-Jean can finally see light at the end of the tunnel after a tough first year at Carrow Road.

While his team-mates have been enjoying the summer break in various parts of the world, Louis-Jean has been making regular trips to City's training ground at Colney.

The French right-back played just two matches last season after tearing his hamstring early in the campaign, an injury which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

But the 30-year-old, who moved to Norwich a year ago in a swap deal which took Gary Holt to Nottingham Forest, is now well on the way to making a full recovery, even if it has meant countless hours in the physio room and on the training pitches during the close season.

“I need to keep working throughout the close season to keep up the strength in my legs and the best place to do that is at Colney,” he told the club's official website.

“It's getting better and my main aim is to be ready for pre-season and hopefully I'm on course for that.”

Louis-Jean said he had made good progress since the turn of the year and was now not far away from being available for action again.

“I'm doing everything now - I can kick the ball, I can run,” he said. “I just need my strength to be good enough, that's the main thing.”

City physio Neal Reynolds revealed a trip to a specialist next week would reveal how far Louis-Jean, below, was off a recall.

“We saw a physician two months ago and it's been slow but steady progress,” he said.

“We will see the physician again next week who will test him and see how his strength is coming on.”