Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies admits he is looking forward to welcoming his team-mates to pre-season training on Thursday.Davies, who is set to be out until September with a ruptured Achilles, has been working throughout the summer at the club's Bodymoor Heath training facility and admits he cannot wait to see the rest of the squad.

He told the club's official website: "I've just returned from holiday and I started running just before I went away. While I was on holiday, I kept it up and I've stepped it up from 20 minutes to 30 minutes and I'm looking to keep building on that.

"Once the lads come in, hopefully I can join in a few of the little runs they do. It will be good to see all the lads coming back in.

"With all due respect to Stephen O'Halloran and the other injured players, when you see the same four people every day it gets a bit boring for everyone.

"I've been looking forward to everyone coming back because as soon as the football season starts it gives me that extra push to try and get fit and get playing again."

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