Cardiff City: Lee Tomlin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing fit to return for Cardiff
Last updated on .From the section Cardiff
Cardiff City manager Neil Harris is "hopeful" midfielders Lee Tomlin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing will be able to start when football returns.
Tomlin, 31, has been ruled out with a knee injury since February, while Mendez-Laing, 28, ruptured a hamstring in December versus Sheffield Wednesday.
The Bluebirds face league leaders Leeds United first when the season resumes.
"Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Lee Tomlin have become viable options for us when things start," said Harris.
"They are healthy and back on the training pitch. Mendez-Laing has trained fully and Lee is on the training pitch doing pretty much everything he can to replicate what the players are in their groups.
"Tomlin has not had the time with the physio to replicate everything and we are making sure we are not taking it for granted that they will be fit.
"The questions supporters what to know is whether they will be ready, and we are certainly hopeful they will both be ready to start. If not, on the bench."
- Lee Tomlin: Cardiff blow as talisman suffers knee injury
- Lee Tomlin signs new Cardiff City contract until summer of 2022
- Nathaniel Mendez-Laing: Cardiff winger likely to miss rest of the season
However, Harris ruled out full-back Greg Cunningham and striker Isaac Vassell playing again this season.
The Cardiff boss also said he has "no concerns" over the availability of loan players for the remainder of the season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Dion Sanderson, Nottingham Forests' Albert Adomah and Bournemouth's Brad Smith all have loan deals at the Cardiff City Stadium which run until 30 June.
The season looks set to run over that date and into July, but Harris says that should not be a problem.
"EFL guidelines state that after that date, as long as the player and the club agree to extend the loan then it will be extended until the final game," said Harris.
"All three have come back in and have been working brilliantly and they want to play, so I have no concerns whatsoever that the loan players will be available.
"Obviously we will have to check that contractually with their [parent] clubs as we go along but I don't foresee any problems."
