ANDONI Iraola has not yet written off the prospect of Ryan Fredericks featuring for Cherries at some point this season.

The 31-year-old has endured a wretched spell with injuries, constantly battling calf problems which have seen his recovery stunted.

Since joining Cherries in June 2022, following his release from West Ham United, Fredericks has made 13 appearances for the club.

But it recently passed one whole year since the full-back last played, a 1-0 win over Liverpool in March 2023.

Fredericks’s Cherries contract is due to expire this summer.

Asked if there is any chance of the Londoner featuring before the end of this season, head coach Iraola said: “I hope so.

“Especially for him personally, because I think it has been a difficult season for him, when you try to push and you cannot because your body is telling you to go a step back.

"For sure he has doubts in his mind.

“I hope he can train with us and even finish the season with us, but it hasn’t been easy for him.”

Iraola added: “I think Ryan is probably the one in the most difficult situation that we have.

“He has tried in this process to accelerate it, and he has failed.

“Every time he has tried to push a little bit, to get closer to the group, he has had a setback.

“So I don’t think we can rush him. He will be the one that will decide, more or less, the timing where he wants to go, because he hasn’t trained with us in any single session this year.

“I haven’t had him in the training sessions.

“It is difficult for him, because I see him every day training, trying to work with the physios and it’s up and down, up and down.

“There is a part, for sure also mentally, for him that it isn’t easy for him.”