Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp has confessed that he does not yet know when he will be able to return from his ongoing pelvic injury.
The 21-year-old was enjoying a breakthrough season before going down with the issue back in January and has not been seen since - missing his side's last 16 games in all competitions.
Spurs have not put a timeframe on Skipp's recovery but have used his absence to negotiate a new long-term contract, with the midfielder putting pen to paper on a five-year deal on Wednesday.
While discussing his excitement towards his new deal, Skipp gave fans an insight into what is really going on with his fitness.
"I don't know if you remember the third or fourth game of the season, with England, I came back and I think it was the Crystal Palace game so it dates quite far back in terms of I've been having a problem, but I've been managing to get through it," he said. "Come the international break I had an injection which other players have had in the past and the hope was that the original pain would go and that's not been the case.
"There's been various times when I've felt like I was getting there but with the nature of this injury it hasn't materialised that I've come back yet. It's been a really frustrating time for me.
"The most difficult part has been the unknown. When I was out before you knew you had a set time, two months etc, but with this one it was just about being patient and it's something that happens in football careers and I'll definitely make sure that when I'm back I'll be right."
Despite being away from the pitch, Skipp revealed he has stayed close to manager Antonio Conte and has done his best to continue learning from the Italian.
"In those few months I had with the boss when he first came in I was really starting to improve and to understand his philosophy and I think you can see that in the team, everyone implementing his ideas," he continued. "I think that he's a coach who will push you and that really helps me in terms of I'm someone who always wants to be going to the next level, the next target.
"So I think I was playing well but there is still a lot of improvement that can definitely be had. Even when I've been injured I've been in all of the meetings and watching training, so you're still, although you're not out on the grass, you're still understanding the concepts he wants, the philosophy and I think it's always something I've tried to do, take on more information.
"Maybe when you're a player, maybe you try to keep things simple in your mind at times as well, but when you've had this opportunity that I'm really interested in in the tactics and understanding what he wants from various players on the pitch."
Source : 90min