Russell Martin has confirmed Jamie Paterson will re-join Swansea City's first team training today following an extended absence.
The attacker has missed Swansea's last five matches after stating he was not in the right frame of mind to feature following a contract dispute with the club's owners.
He was the subject of multiple bids from Queens Park Rangers during the January transfer window, although Swansea rejected each offer from the Londoners.
And after holding talks with Paterson - who has trained with the club's Under-23s of late - on Tuesday morning, head coach Martin has admitted he hopes to include the 30-year-old in Swansea's matchday squad against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
“We had a brilliant chat, I’ve said all along I don’t blame him and we have never fallen out, our relationship hasn’t been affected," said Martin.
"People have phoned to enquire about him and why we have fallen out and they couldn’t understand it when I said there has been no falling out.
“The advice he’s been given has been really poor and the message it has sent out to the rest of the footballing world was really poor and untrue.
“But he’s still here and like a new signing, it’s brilliant he’s stayed.
“He’s still not in a brilliant place mentally. He’s never refused to play. He’s not been in the right frame of mind to play.
“He didn’t want to do his team mates an injustice. He was in the same place in the summer when he didn't have a club.
“It will take him a bit of time to get him back to how he is, but he will be back in the squad tomorrow [Wednesday] and hopefully back in the squad for Saturday."
During Paterson's absence, Swansea have struggled to deliver the goods in the final third.
Their 1-0 loss at home to Luton Town on Tuesday night means the Swans have netted just two goals in their five Championship outings so far in 2022.
And while Paterson - who has eight goals and four assists to his name this term - has been sorely missed on the field, Martin has stated the former Bristol City man will need time to recover both physically and mentally following his period on the sidelines.
“He hasn’t been fined. He’s been mentally and physically not feeling well. I'm not going to fine someone for that, I don’t blame him for it one bit," added Martin.
“I have been disappointed by it, I have been hurt by it, but he’s back and hopefully he will be back quickly.
“He needs some time to get back up to speed. He hasn’t been well, he’s not been the same guy at all.
“He’s a big character and we’ve seen that slowly eroding.
“He’s been where he was in the summer, in a really bad place. Which many footballers and they don’t want to talk about when they are out of contract or feel they have been let down or there is a lack of trust. I don’t judge him for that and no one should.”
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