Isaac Hayden has made his latest return from injury during a difficult season on loan at Norwich City.
Newcastle United sent Hayden to Carrow Road last summer, with Norwich agreeing a loan deal that included an obligation to buy if certain conditions were met.
It has since been reported that the Canaries will sign the 28-year-old permanently if they achieve promotion to the Premier League.
That is still a possibility with five games to go, and now Hayden is back to boost Norwich’s quest to secure an immediate return to the top flight.
Isaac Hayden returned from injury on Monday
Norwich took on Rotherham in the Championship on Monday afternoon, drawing 0-0 with the Millers. It was a disappointing result for David Wagner’s side, but there was a welcome return on the substitutes bench.
Hayden was involved in the matchday squad for the first time since December 30th 2022. He has been out of action for more than three months with a knee injury, missing 15 games in total.
It is the second lengthy injury that Hayden has suffered this season. He also picked up a knee problem in pre-season which forced him to miss the first 13 games of the campaign.
In total, Hayden has made just 12 league appearances for Norwich during his loan spell. It has been a really difficult season for him, but it could end in jubilation.
With five games to go, Wagner’s side still have a chance of getting into the playoffs. They are currently eighth, one point behind Millwall and Blackburn in fifth and sixth respectively.
A late push could force them into the top six, and hand Norwich the chance to compete at Wembley for an immediate return to the Premier League.
That would be a positive end to a miserable season for Hayden, whose future remains up in the air. It has been claimed that Newcastle will make him available for a move once again if he returns to the club.
However, a permanent Norwich transfer is still a possibility, with promotion not out of the question yet.
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