Scott Arfield has backed his Burnley teammate Sam Vokes to "reach the heights that he did last season" as soon as he returns to match fitness.

Vokes, who scored 21 goals in the Championship last term, has been sidelined for eight months with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

However, the Wales international has recently returned to training and with his comeback now on the horizon, Arfield has little doubt that the striker will be able to rediscover his clinical form.

"He's not fully getting in there and doing everything yet but his touch is back, his power's back and his pace is back, so he's nearly there," he told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

"It's going to be hard for him to get the match fitness. That is going to take the most time, but once he gets that I've no doubt that he can reach the heights that he did last season. For him to come into the squad will be different class."

There have been suggestions of late that Vokes, 25, could return to action before the end of the year.