Tom Lockyer, the resilient defender who captured headlines with his on-field health scares, is now tantalizingly close to a full return to professional football, marking a significant milestone in his arduous recovery journey.

His most recent alarming incident occurred in December 2023 during Luton’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, where he suffered a cardiac arrest, bringing play to an immediate halt and sending shockwaves through the sporting world.

This distressing event followed a similar collapse just seven months prior, during the Hatters’ dramatic Sky Bet Championship play-off final victory over Coventry at Wembley, underscoring the severe health challenges Lockyer has bravely confronted.

Despite these profound setbacks, the 30-year-old Wales international has maintained an unwavering commitment to his fitness, revealing to Sky Sports his continuous efforts: “I haven’t had a break, I’ve been working all the way through, just trying to get this ankle right and trying to get fit.”

Lockyer further expressed optimism regarding his progress, stating, “But I’ve had a really good few weeks and hopefully now I’m four weeks away from getting signed off and told I’m allowed to play football again,” a declaration eagerly awaited by fans and the wider football community.

Although Luton, having faced relegation for a second consecutive season, decided against renewing his contract this summer, their support for the former Bristol Rovers centre-back has been exceptional, providing him continued access to their elite training facilities.

Lockyer, who famously captained Luton to Premier League promotion in 2023, conveyed immense gratitude for the club’s generosity: “They’ve been fantastic and have allowed me to come in and use the facilities and the knowledge of all the physios, so I can’t thank them enough for that.”

This ongoing access has allowed him to remain integrated within a professional football environment, keeping his spirits high: “It’s allowed me to go in every day, still be around it, still feel involved and I’m just itching to get back now,” he affirmed, highlighting his deep passion for the game.

Fitted with a defibrillator, much like former Manchester United star Christian Eriksen, Lockyer also navigated an ankle ligament injury during his path to recovery, which necessitated two surgical procedures, adding another layer of complexity to his challenging comeback.