Norburn can still make an impact at Posh this season and other injury updates

The 30 year-old hasn’t made a Posh appearance since the 3-1 Championship win at QPR on March 20 after damaging knee ligaments playing in a friendly international for Grenada.

Norburn had seen a transfer request rejected by Posh a couple of months earlier at a time when he was club captain with a desire to move closer to his young family behind the move.

“We expect Ollie to back around the end of January,” McCann said.

"He asked to leave the club before I came back so I need to start a dialogue with him, but I’m sure he’ll be keen to play some games before the end of the season which would be good news for us.

"Ollie is a good man to have around the club. He’s a good lad, a good professional and a very good player.”

Left-back Joe Tomlinson returned to training this week after a foot injury, while on-loan Hull City goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright will be back at London Road early next week at the latest following a thigh complaint .

Tomlinson has made just two substitute appearances in League One this season and is expected to leave London Road in January

Cartwright had been expected to challenge fellow on-loan ‘keeper Lucas Bergstrom for a first-team place, but he’s started just one EFL Trophy match against Stevenage.

"Harvey could be back this week,” McCann added. “But if not it will be early next week.

"Hull are just making sure they tick every box to make sure he’s okay.”