WORCESTER Warriors boss Alan Solomons admits it is “difficult to say at this stage” whether injured forward Marco Mama will be fit for the start of the season.

But Solomons reckons Mama is making “good progress” after spending more than a week in John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford undergoing a series of operations to repair his leg.

Mama was diagnosed with compartment syndrome, a condition that occurs when pressure within muscles builds to dangerous levels.

The season-ending injury struck just hours after the back rower played the full 80 minutes in Warriors’ crucial Gallagher Premiership victory over Gloucester on April 28.

Mama then posted a message on social media to say he had spent nine days in hospital, undergoing four operations, and had been in “lots of pain” resulting in “sleepless nights”.

After seeing Mama’s leg post-surgery ticket office staff at Sixways said it looked like the 28-year-old had suffered a “shark bite” due to the amount of stitches used.

Mama missed Warriors’ final two games of last season and there are doubts over whether he will be ready for action when the 2019-20 campaign kicks off in late September.

Solomons said: “Marco is improving.

“He didn’t travel (overseas for a holiday) initially but is making really good progress at the moment. In fact, I got an email from him the other day and things are looking really positive from his perspective.”

Asked whether Mama would be fit for the start of the new season, Solomons added: “It is difficult to say at this stage.

“I think he is making good progress and we are very positive about him but it is difficult to say more than that.”

A serious knee injury saw Mama miss almost the entire 2017-18 campaign. But ex-Bristol Bears man bounced back to feature 19 times and captained Warriors in the absence of Gerrit-Jan van Velze and Ryan Mills on two occasions.

In a message on Instagram on May 7 Mama thanked fans for their messages of goodwill and aimed to be back for next season.

“I’m incredibly happy to be leaving hospital today,” Mama said.

“After nine days, four operations, lots of pain and sleepless nights, today they stitched me up and sent me home.

“I can’t thank you all enough for all the well wishes I received. It really kept me going in there.

“I would also like to take the time to thank everyone at John Radcliffe Hospital for doing such a good job.

“It is reassuring to know that there are some fantastic people doing amazing work in the NHS.

“I don’t often say this but Gabriella De Sousa has been incredible at looking after me, she spent every second she could spare next to my bed making sure I had everything I needed.

“The plan is to make a full recovery over the coming months and get back on the pitch for Warriors next season.”

On May 28, Warriors Ticket Info (@WarriorsTicket) posted a picture of Mama and said: “Snapped today in the ticket office Marco Mama looking a bit stir crazy ‘cos no holiday for him. Rehab is necessary on his leg which now holds about a gazillions stitches on what looks like a shark bite.”