Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has admitted that he is hopeful of Richard Dunne returning to the club's first team in the near future.

Dunne underwent hip surgery in America earlier this week in a bid to repair a long-standing hip problem that he suffered playing for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012, and Lambert has insisted that the Villa medical staff remain perplexed about the injury.

Lambert told reporters: "'Dunny' got hurt at the Euros and it's never really cleared up. I think that's where it's come from. He had another operation yesterday in America so hopefully once and for all that will be cleared up.

"I think America was the only place he could get that done. He'll come back in the next few days and hopefully then start his rehab and get going again.

"It's all stemmed from his hip area. We tried to sort out one thing and then it went to another, then it's gone to another thing. I've never seen anything like this. I don't think the medical people have seen anything like this."

Dunne has made 111 appearances for Villa since joining the club from Manchester City in 2009.