Top striker Matty Fryatt targets Leicester City return

Leicester City striker Matty Fryatt is targeting a return in Sunday's final friendly against Real Valladolid.

Fryatt aims to be in full training before the end of the week and in line to meet the Spanish club at the Walkers Stadium.

The 32-goal driving force behind City's League One title success has outlined his disappointment at being unable to feature in any of the pre-season games after suffering complications following a hernia operation three weeks ago.

The 23 year-old said: "The op was successful and I came back well in training, but the area got infected and now I'm waiting for that to clear up.

"Over the past couple of days, things have been easing and, hopefully, I will be back for the last game of the pre-season.

"I've been on antibiotics and everything should be clicking in. Once the infection clears, which it nearly has, I can test it out. It will be good to play a pre-season game."

Fryatt said he had experienced a "slight pain" in the groin just after Christmas last year, by which time he had become the first player since Derek Dougan in 1966 to score 20 goals before the festive season.

"I didn't think much about it and it seemed to clear up near the end of the season," said Fryatt. "Everything was fine in the summer but then, in the second week of pre-season, things didn't feel right when I was shooting."

Fryatt saw head physio Dave Rennie and the ex-Walsall man was sent to see a specialist.

"Straight away, he said it was a hernia and that the ligaments were a bit tight and I had the op on the same day.

"I'm coming along okay now. I would have wanted to play some pre-season games but, unfortunately, it's not been the case."

Manager Nigel Pearson has admitted his frustration at being unable to call on Fryatt and has shuffled his attacking options by playing midfielder Dany N'Guessan along with Steve Howard, Ashley Chambers and Paul Dickov.

Fryatt believes City are still trying to bring in additional firepower.

They are known to be in the hunt for ex-Reading man Leroy Lita after pulling out of the race to sign Swindon's Simon Cox, who joined West Brom.

Fryatt said: "I'm sure the manager is always looking for players to strengthen all over.

"There is not a main forward as such who has come in as yet but there is a lot of competition for places.

"Paul Dickov has loads of experience while Ashley Chambers is the young one. Dany N'Guessan has played up front, and judging from what I've seen he looks good."

QPR boss Jim Magilton has ruled out a move for unsettled City striker DJ Campbell as he searches for a striker to replace Dexter Blackstock.

Asked if his shopping list included Campbell, Magilton replied: "Absolutely not."