Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided a fresh update on the fitness of Oscar Bobb ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round clash with Plymouth Argyle at the Etihad Stadium.
After making a notable impression during Man City's pre-season tour of the United States last summer, Bobb sustained a leg fracture in training shortly before the start of the Premier League season back in August.
It was suggested at the time by Guardiola that the 21-year-old would be sidelined for three to four months and he was hopeful that the Norwegian could make his comeback at the beginning of 2025.
Bobb made a welcome return to first-team training last month, but the attacker suffered a minor setback in is recovery, with Guardiola revealing that he has been nursing discomfort in a metatarsal bone in his foot.
"He had a problem in the meta (metatarsal) and couldn't run properly, that's why he came back, stop, came back, stop, but the doctors wisely said stop until you don't feel that discomfort in the ankle then you can train," Guardiola said prior to Man City's 1-0 Premier League win at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
"He feels really good, much better since he came back... In the last part (of the season) he will be back soon, but I said that one month ago, hopefully this time he can come back."
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Guardiola delivers latest update on Bobb fitness
Bobb is continuing to gradually build up his fitness in training and Man City supporters have been wondering whether the academy graduate could be ready to feature in some capacity against second-tier side Plymouth in the FA Cup this weekend.
Delivering a fresh update on Bobb at a press conference on Friday, Guardiola said: "He is getting better, training yesterday and today as well.
"It has been longer than we expected, but hopefully he can finish and help us in the last part of the season.
"We want to help him desperately. It's been a tough period for him, but always there is light at the end of the tunnel, this is life and especially in sport."
Earlier in the week, Guardiola heaped praise on Bobb and expressed his excitement about what the young attacker can bring to his team when he makes a full recovery.
"Oscar has not been in previous seasons a part of that (first-team squad), but when we saw him in pre-season, everyone was so excited," said Guardiola.
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Guardiola: 'Oscar Bobb is the best'
"He's a guy who creates in the small spaces and in terms of the intensity that helps us to make the people from behind and in front, the first action is so aggressive, it's like an addiction for the people who play in behind.
"Oscar is the best, the best, so intelligent and smart, and the rhythm he plays. He can play left or right, or pocket, or striker, in the small spaces, runners, finishing, it's difficult to find.
"Unfortunately, after pre-season in the first game, after making an assist in the Community Shield final against Manchester United, before the first Premier League game against Chelsea he was injured in training.
"We expected three of four months but it took longer, sometimes unfortunately that happens for him and for us."
Man City have three more games against Plymouth, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion, the latter two in the Premier League, before the international break, and if Bobb is not deemed fit to feature in the next few weeks, he may instead target a return at the beginning of April.
Three Citizens players who remain sidelined with injuries are Rodri (ACL), Manuel Akanji (abductor) and John Stones (thigh) - the former of whom has returned to individual training, though - while Guardiola revealed that Jack Grealish is a doubt during the embargoed section of his press conference.
Oliver Thomas
