‘Getting closer’ - Newcastle United star posts exciting update following four-month injury absence

Botman hasn’t featured for Newcastle United since their FA Cup defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium back in March, with the club revealing then that the Dutchman would undergo surgery on an ACL injury. A knee injury had kept him sidelined for almost three months earlier in the campaign, before his season was prematurely curtailed.

Botman’s absence was compounded just weeks later when Jamaal Lascelles, someone who had filled in for the 24-year-old throughout the season, also suffered an ACL injury during their win over West Ham just over a week later. Neither are expected to be back for the beginning of the new season with a six to nine month timeframe put on their respective recoveries.

However, Botman has posted an encouraging update on his recovery, posting a story on Instagram of him at the club’s training ground with the caption: ‘Getting closer, back at it @nufc’ along with a fire and ok thumb emoji.

Botman has previously teased a return to action this summer by posting videos of him working on grass with a football alongside a personal coach. In his and Lascelles’ absence this pre-season, Emil Krafth and Dan Burn have had to play as a makeshift centre-back partnership with both getting a lot of minutes under their belts in games against Hull City and Urawa Reds.

Fabian Schar is in Japan and expected to play some part of the clash against Yokohama F. Marinos on Saturday following his international commitments with Switzerland at Euro 2024 this summer.