Arsenal-owned midfielder James Olayinka has returned to training at Football League club Southend United.

The Hale End Academy product is spending the remainder of the season on loan at the Shrimpers but has not featured for the club since suffering a grade two ligament damage on his ankle during the goalless draw at Grimsby Town exactly six weeks ago.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Olayinka with Southend United boss Mark Molesley revealing that the Nigerian starlet is back in training but short on fitness.

"James Olayinka was back in the building today for the first time," Molesley was quoted as saying by Southend Echo.

"It was great to see his face and see him training.

"We will need to build him up in training and build his minutes too.

"He’s not immediately ready but hopefully he’s not too far away."

Prior to Olayinka's spell on the sidelines, he appeared in sixteen matches for Southend United, scoring three goals.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel