ALBION have been handed a pre-season boost with the news Filipe Teixeira is recovering well from a serious knee injury.

The Portuguese ace missed the last two months of the season after suffering cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in March's 3-0 win over Plymouth.

He has been rehabilitating with the help of the physio and doctor at his former club Academica de Coimbra following an operation in his homeland and is back on his feet doing light jogging and strength work.

Teixeira is due to return to England next week to continue his recovery with the Baggies' medical staff at the club's training ground and will miss the start of the season.

But, although Albion physio Richie Rawlins is refusing to put a time frame on the 27-year-old's return to first-team action, he is pleased with his progress.

"I've been speaking to Filipe throughout the summer and he seems very optimistic and happy with how things are going," he said.

"The operation was a success.

"The swelling has all gone down and the knee is a lot stronger.

"There have been no set-backs, he is progressing really well and everything is going according to plan.

"While the rest of the boys head off to Holland and Germany on pre-season tour he'll be staying here and doing rehab work with us.

"He'll continue his strengthening work and jogging and we'll see how he goes."

The verdict on skipper Jonathan Greening and striker Roman Bednar was also positive.

The duo underwent hernia operations during the summer break but both will be fit to begin pre-season training when the Albion players report back on Thursday.

"There is no problem with either Jonno or Roman," Rawlins added.

"They will both train as normal with the rest of the lads." 

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