Harambee Stars Prospect Shines as Hull City Coach Highlights Key Quality Amid Injury Return

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has expressed his excitement over the return of promising midfielder Eliot Matazo, who is on the comeback trail after a long-term anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Matazo, who is of Kenyan descent through his mother, took a significant step in his recovery on Tuesday, March 3. The 24-year-old played 30 minutes for Hull City's Under-21 side in their 3-2 victory over Peterborough United.

This was his first appearance in over a year, following the serious knee injury he sustained during a match against Cardiff City in late February of the previous season.

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The injury, which required surgery, came just five weeks after he had signed for the Tigers from French club AS Monaco.

Jakirovic praised the midfielder's mentality upon his return to action. "I like Eliot in that he doesn't have fear," the manager told Hull Live. "He isn't afraid to challenge to go in with the ball if it's a 50/50 challenge."

Despite the positive progress, Hull City are taking a cautious approach to Matazo's reintroduction to senior football. The club plans to gradually increase his playing time with the U21s, wary of past instances where players like Liam Miller and Mo Belloumi suffered setbacks after returning from similar ACL injuries.

The next step for Matazo is a scheduled appearance against Sheffield United's Under-21s at the MKM Stadium on Tuesday, March 10, where he hopes to play for an hour.

While no specific timeline has been set for his first-team comeback, Jakirovic is clearly eager to have him available.

"It's good, so everything is going according to plan," Jakirovic stated. "Next Tuesday, he will play against Sheffield United at the MKM Stadium. It's the plan to get more minutes, 60 if it's possible, and then we will see, but he's a very good player. I know everything about Elliot, so we are buzzing."

In the meantime, Hull City's first team is preparing for a crucial EFL Championship fixture against Millwall on Saturday, March 7.