Yahoo Sports Lockyer comeback bid suffers further setback
Wales and Luton Town defender Tom Lockyer could be facing a second ankle operation after a fresh setback in his bid to return to football.
Lockyer, 30, has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Luton's Premier League game with Bournemouth in December 2023.
He was due to make his comeback for the club's under-21 side last month, only to damage ankle ligaments in training.
Now Lockyer says he is waiting to discover if he needs further surgery after problems during his rehabilitation.
"I'm trying to get back on the pitch, everything heart-wise was looking really good but sadly set back with ankle three days before I was due to play my first game, so that was really hard to take," Lockyer told the BBC Three Counties Radio's breakfast programme.
"Now, on Monday, I need to see the surgeon again because we're not sure the operation was a success and potentially might have to do it again, so when it rains it pours."
Then Luton manager Rob Edwards said last month Lockyer suffered the injury after landing awkwardly, saying it would put his return back "a few months".
Lockyer, who has had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted after the incident that left him "technically dead" for nearly three minutes, had previously stated he would be "at peace" with the prospect of not playing again following his collapse.
But he had always stressed a desire to return to the pitch, including a wish for "just one more" Wales appearance to add to his 16 caps, having spent time with Craig Bellamy's squad in September.
Under the guidance of the same specialists who oversaw Christian Eriksen's comeback after the Denmark international's own cardiac arrest, the Cardiff-born centre-back is still aiming to return.
And he admitted his experiences have put his latest hurdle into perspective, adding: "I'm one of the lucky ones – I'm here to give football another go and enjoy my daughter taking her first steps the other week, the little things like that I appreciate a lot more, so a couple of setbacks are nothing."
He told BBC Sport Wales last month: "Time's not on my side, when you start pushing 30 you start thinking the clock is counting down, can this be achieved?" he said.
"But I'm a positive person, I wouldn't be wasting everyone's time if I didn't think that was possible.
"I'm going to give it my best shot, but what will be will be."
