After a month on the sidelines, Nigel de Jong could soon make his return for the LA Galaxy.
De Jong practiced in full on Monday for the first time since suffering a knee injury that kept him out of the Galaxy's last two games, and could play in this Sunday's California Clasico bout against the San Jose Earthquakes (7 pm ET, FS1).
“He was out training today,” Arena told LAGalaxy.com. “We’ll see [how he feels] and how he gets through the week.”
The 31-year-old midfielder has missed five consecutive matches for the Galaxy. Prior to getting injured, de Jong had to serve a three-game suspension for a tackle on Darlington Nagbe of the Portland Timbers.
The Dutchman, who has gone the distance in each of the five games he has appeared in for LA, last played on April 10. The club has gone 3-0-2 in his absence.