Razak Boukari is ready to return for Wolves

Wolves' forgotten winger Razak Boukari could be set for a return to action in Friday's Black Country mini derby against West Brom.

The £2.5million Togo international hasn't played since tearing his hamstring in pre-season, after being forced to undergo surgery.

Boukari is almost back to full fitness after three weeks of full training. And, with boss Kenny Jackett looking for a replacement for African Nations Cup-bound Bakary Sako, Boukari could yet provide a solution.

"He's fit and training with us and will be playing in the Under-21s soon," said the head coach.

"I've got him down to play on either Friday (against Albion Under-21s at Molineux) or next Tuesday when they play Nuneaton (in the Birmingham Senior Cup).

"We're not far away. He's in full training and trained on Monday morning with the first-team group.

"His next stage is a game or some part of a game. Hopefully the operation has sorted it out for him."

Boukari, who has played just four league games for Wolves since joining in July 2012, could be considered as a replacement for Sako.

And Jackett said: "Like Kevin Doyle, Bjorn Sigurdarson and Boukari, yes, there's always a first-team consideration about what they can do for us.

"It doesn't heighten his chances (because Sako is away) because we'd always look at that anyway, particularly when he's had a tough time with injury.

"His hamstrings have broken down at different times then there's other times when an operation does sort it out."

Wolves head of medical Phil Hayward said: "He's still not quite getting up to absolute maximum speed yet.

"We're waiting until he ticks that final box during a training session so he can go back into a game situation. There's no reason why that won't happen this week.

"We're just making sure we dot all the i's and cross all the t's because he's had so many injuries we don't want to take any chances. But he's now had three weeks of full training with no problems."

Hayward believes the only hurdle Boukari has to cross is perhaps a psychological one, saying: "We don't think it's a clinical issue.

"I think it's more psychological where he's maybe trying to protect himself sub-consciously.

"There's nothing physical that you can tangibly see – it's just something he has to sort of get through in his own way."

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