Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor is on course to be discharged from hospital this week after suffering serious damage to a kidney.
The Hull City player is nursing a contusion of the kidney and three broken ribs after colliding with Mo Diame during the Tiger’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham last Wednesday.
The 31-year-old was sent-off for his part in the challenge, a decision that has been successfully appealed by his club, but that was the least of his worries as the severity of his injury became clear.
McGregor was rushed to Wellington Hospital in north west London and spent five nights under observation in a high dependency unit.
An operation cannot repair the damage but it is hoped medication will help the kidney repair itself.
The 31-times capped shot-stopper will not play again this season but Hull manager Steve Bruce is just delighted McGregor is making progress.
He said: “He’s obviously been in a lot of pain over the last week so things are going as well as can be expected. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed that remains the case.”
Meanwhile, his Scotland goalkeeping rival David Marshall insists his own future is the last thing on his mind at relegation-threatened Cardiff City after being linked with a move to Tottenham.
The former Celtic shot-stopper has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Bluebirds but that has not been enough to prevent the Welsh outfit from being dragged into the Premier League drop zone.
The 29-year-old, who collected his 11th cap when he played the full 90 minutes in last month’s friendly win over Poland, has made the most saves out of any English top-flight keeper this term.
Spurs have been credited with a move for Marshall should they lose France captain Hugo Lloris at the end of the campaign.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s crucial visit of Crystal Palace, Marshall who recently signed a contract extension that runs until summer 2018 insists his only concern is helping Cardiff avoid the drop.
He said: “At this moment in time, my personal career does not really come into it. I am going to be judged over these last games now.
“That’s me, all the other players and the club as a whole. I am desperate right now to try to help keep this club in the Premier League.
“I will be concentrating now on keeping Cardiff up.”