SAN JOSE — The Earthquakes got a welcomed lift this week with Fatai Alashe’s return to practice and the possibility the midfielder could play Sunday against defending champion Portland at Avaya Stadium.

“If he feels he is good to go, there is a chance he could play some significant minutes,” coach Dominic Kinnear said Wednesday.

In another development, Kinnear said the Quakes are not finished upgrading the team. The coach said San Jose is looking for a situation similar to Portland’s announcement Wednesday that it had acquired winger Jack Barmby on loan from Leicester City of the English Premier League.

“We’re not done,” Kinnear said, adding the Earthquakes almost struck a deal last week with a player he declined to name.

In the meantime, the coach just wants the players under contract back on the field.

Rookie fullback Kip Colvey looks to earn his first Major League Soccer start Sunday against the Timbers because Shaun Francis is doubtful after suffering a strained quadriceps muscle in the season opener. Colvey, a third-round draft pick out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, looked sharp as a second-half replacement after Francis went down.

New forward Chad Barrett remains out with a groin muscle injury while winger Cordell Cato worked on the sideline Wednesday, still recovering from a hamstring muscle strain.

Center back Andres Imperiale also participated in practice Wednesday after struggling with an injury.

Alashe had to withdraw from U.S. national team camp in January to undergo a hernia surgery. He was expected to miss at least a month, but the second-year midfielder seems ahead of schedule if he can play Sunday.

“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and see if he is in the running for something Sunday,” Kinnear said. “There are positions when guys who are out you miss on the field, and Fatai is one of those guys.”

Kinnear said he is inclined to keep the starting lineup the same — unless Alashe is ready — because of the season-opening victory against Colorado. That scenario would leave midfielder Matias Perez Garcia on the bench. The Argentinean is back after serving a one-game suspension last weekend.

Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/elliottalmond.