Heidar Helguson is still on track to make his return from injury against Middlesbrough next weekend.

The Watford legend started running again last weekend but Hornets boss Malky Mackay said the club would not know exactly what part the striker could play at The Riverside until he starts training with the squad again next week.

Helguson, who pulled his calf muscle in the 3-3 draw with Leicester City three weeks ago, has been receiving state-of-the-art treatment at Champneys Health Resort in Tring.

The 32-year-old has been using the resort’s kriotherapy chamber, which consists of spending three minutes in temperatures of minus 135 degrees to speed up the muscles’ recovery process.

The former Fulham man has also been exercising in a specialist oxygenated area.

Mackay said: “Heidar’s been jogging and he’s gradually coming on and we’ve now got a couple of weeks to get something going.

“He’s been doing a lot of the kriotherapy work at Champneys and we’re pleased with the way he’s going at the moment.

“He needs to join in with full training before we can gauge him in what direction we go, as to whether he starts, is on the bench or whether he is involved at all and we wait until the following week. But we are happy with the progress so far.”

It is also still unclear how long captain Jay DeMerit will be out for but Mackay has dismissed rumours that the decision to perform surgery has already been made.

The centre back cut his right eye four weeks ago after a particle of grit was caught underneath his contact lens and it became infected.

The initial antibiotics were not strong enough and although the cut was healing, the bacteria spread.

The injury is currently healing well but it is unclear as to whether DeMerit will need surgery to stop the scar tissue on his eye affecting his vision.

When asked whether the decision to have surgery had already been made, Mackay said: “Absolutely not. We will not make the decision on what is going to happen to him at least for the next ten days or so. He has specialists to see over the next ten days and no decision will be made yet.”

The injuries to Helguson and DeMerit and last week’s virus, which struck down five first-team players, has not caused Mackay to rush out and make more loan signings in the aftermath of Saturday’s 4-0 defeat against Cardiff City.

Mackay confirmed there were no trialists with the club at present but did not rule out having a closer look at possible signings during the international break.

The manager is keen to bring new players into Vicarage Road but believes until that happens, he has a “good group” at the club already.

Mackay said: “It is an ongoing process at the moment but I will keep my ear to the ground and keep chipping away to get the right people into the club and that will never stop as far as I am concerned.

“The knee-jerk transfers I think always end up in tears and I think it has to be calculated and for the good of the football club and the good of the team.

“If somebody is coming in, they have to add to the group and until that situation, we have a good group here.”

The Hornets took on Oxford United on Tuesday in a behind-closed-doors friendly and although they lost 1-0, Mackay claimed the result was not important.

Nathan Ellington, Jon Harley, Scott Severin, Jure Travner and Mat Sadler all played and the Watford manager said there may another behind-closed-doors game in the next week to try and build up some of the squad’s fitness.