Fresh Newcastle United injury update as £15m man set for nine months out after setback

Newcastle United left-back Matt Targett is unlikely to feature again this season following an injury setback.

The 28-year-old, who has started just once in the Premier League this season, has been out of action since picking up a hamstring injury in early December. After briefly returning to the bench in March, Targett suffered an Achilles injury which could rule him out for the rest of the season.

“Not a big problem, he's got a little bit of tendonitis in his Achilles,” Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe initially told The Gazette last month. “We envisage he should be back very soon." 

But after later revealing Targett’s issue was ‘more serious’ than initially thought, Howe has suggested the player’s season could already be over.

“Probably not I’d say at this moment in time,” Howe said when asked if Targett would play again this season. “If we rushed him back and really hit the accelerator then he could maybe be back for the last game.

“But with that in mind it would probably be better to have a full summer to recover.” If Targett doesn’t return in time for the end of the season, he will likely be facing at least nine months without a competitive game. He still has two years remaining on his four-year contract signed when he joined permanently from Aston Villa for £15million in 2022 following an initial loan spell.

With Newcastle since signing Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, who can both play at left-back, Targett’s future on Tyneside is uncertain as he could look to secure regular first-team football elsewhere.