Nottingham Forest are reportedly hopeful that playmaker Joao Carvalho will return from injury in August and potentially before the start of the Championship season.

The 22-year-old suffered an ankle ligament injury in the Reds' first pre-season game, a 2-1 victory over Alfreton Town, and has visited specialists in both London and Portugal.

According to the Nottinghamshire Post, Forest are unwilling to put a timescale on Carvalho's recovery but are hopeful that it is not a serious injury and that it will not impact his contribution in the Championship under new boss Sabri Lamouchi.

The report also suggests that the attacking midfielder will likely miss the pre-season tour to Greece but the club are optimistic that he can resume training within a matter of weeks, not months.

Carvalho joined from Benfica last summer and showed flashes of brilliance in his debut season, scoring four goals and providing eight assists in 38 Championship appearances.

Carvalho will need time to recover his match fitness once he returns to training and the start of the Championship season is just 22 days away.

Forest begin their Championship campaign against West Bromwich Albion on 3rd August and it would be a huge boost for Lamouchi if he had the 22-year-old available for his first game in charge.

The Verdict

This news will be a massive relief for Reds fans.

It would've been a huge blow for Forest to lose a talented player like Carvalho before the season had even begun.

The 22-year-old saw his playing time reduced under Martin O'Neill but is understood to be an important part of Lamouchi's plans.

Lamouchi has made some really interesting moves this summer and the Reds are well set to make a promotion challenge in the upcoming campaign.