Eddie Howe issues update on ‘nasty’ Newcastle United injury

The Newcastle United defender suffered a serious knee injury in a Carabao Cup win over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park last August.

At the time, Howe stated that Krafth, signed from Amiens in the summer of 2019, would most likely miss the rest of the season – and the right-back was not given a place in the club’s Premier League squad for the first half of the campaign.

The Sweden international is back out on the grass, and United’s head coach said: “He’s doing well.

"It was a nasty injury. It was a big blow for us, and still is a big blow, because of his gap in the squad.

"But he’s doing really well, he’s on the grass. Certainly, he’s moving now a lot more fluently. You speak to him, and he’s confident about his recovery. I’m not sure we’ll see him at all in the squad before the end of the season.

"I think we’re looking more to next year but what we do hope is that we can implement him back into training, very lightly, towards the end of the season.”

Bad timing

Krafth – who signed a one-year contract extension last year keeping him at the club until 2024 – had played regular football under Howe last season after a challenging first two years in English football.

Speaking last month, the 28-year-old said: “Of course, it’s been up and down. It was really hard at the beginning to accept that you were going to be out for such a long time.

"As soon as it happened, I was devastated for a few days – and I didn't know where to go.

"An injury is never great timing, but, for me, I was playing a lot from January until the summer. The team were doing really well and I'd say it was the best form of my career so far.

"I felt I had a good pre-season, and had also extended my contract with the club.”

Howe had turned to Krafth last season after losing new signing Kieran Trippier to a foot injury.