Former Preston North End striker Lukas Nmecha has finally made an emotional return to action after more than a year out of action through injury.
There is a long, long list of former PNE loanees who didn’t really set the world alight at Deepdale but have excelled elsewhere.
Andy Carroll, Josh King, Danny Welbeck, Stephy Mavididi, Anthony Gordon… the list is pretty astonishing at this point.
Lukas Nmecha can join that list too after spending the 2018-19 season on loan from Manchester City.
Nmecha arrived with a big billing but divided opinion during his time at Deepdale.
Three goals in 44 games was a disappointing return but he did chip in with seven assists, making more of an impact out wide than up front.
Goalless spells with Wolfsburg and Middlesbrough followed before Nmecha smashed 21 goals in 41 games on loan at Anderlecht.
Lukas Nmecha back from long injury lay-off
Nmecha earned himself a return to Germany with Wolfsburg in 2021, and he started to show encouraging signs with 14 goals in 49 outings.
Seven caps for Germany arrived and Nmecha seemed to be on his way to fulfilling his potential ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
That’s when disaster struck.
Nmecha picked up a serious knee injury in Wolfsburg’s final game before the World Cup break, ruling him out of the Germany squad.
A setback against TuS Makkabi in August 2023 kept Nmecha out of action even longer as he battled both the physical and psychological hurdles.
Nmecha is finally back though, coming off the bench in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund to play 13 minutes.
It was an emotional return for Nmecha, who made his first Bundesliga appearance in 15 months.
Now 25, Nmecha will be looking to make up for lost time and finally get regular games under his belt again.
It’s nearly five years since Nmecha left PNE but North End fans will surely wish him the best as he looks to put his injury hell behind him and show his quality in Germany.