Newcastle United youngster ruled out for five months issues fresh ACL injury update
Young Newcastle United winger Johnny Emerson has provided a further update on his ongoing recovery from an ACL injury.
Newcastle United winger Johnny Emerson has stepped up his recovery after suffering an ACL injury earlier this season.
The 20-year-old looks set to be out for the remainder of the season following knee surgery back in October.
ACL injuries are often given a six to 12-month recovery period, though this can differ depending on the individual and whether there are any setbacks in the rehabilitation process. But Emerson has made good progress so far.
A major injury blow
At first-team level, Sven Botman was ruled out for 10 months with an ACL injury, while Emil Krafth missed 14 months and Jamaal Lascelles didn’t start another competitive game for the club after his knee injury in March 2024. All three players have suffered further fitness problems following their recovery.
Lascelles recently left Newcastle to join Championship strugglers Leicester City while Krafth has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Botman is currently available but has been in and out of the side since his ACL injury due to various fitness issues.
Emerson has had a tough season so far and is yet to feature at Under-21s level, having missed the opening weeks of the campaign following a hernia operation in the summer.
As he closed in on a return to fitness, Emerson suffered a serious knee injury that has ruled him out for the past five months and will likely keep him out for some time longer.
NUFC winger provides latest ACL injury update
Emerson broke the news of his ACL injury via his Instagram account as he posted an image of himself in a hospital bed along with the caption: “Heartbroken to have torn my ACL, but successful surgery and recovery starts now.”
Now the winger has posted a ‘23 week’ recovery update as he took to Instagram to post a training ground video of himself.
For the first time in months, Emerson has been spotted back with the ball at his feet, completing light passing and dribbling drills.
He posted the short video on Instagram along with the caption: “Week 23: Back dribbling and passing a ball.”
Emerson has been a key part of Newcastle’s Under-21s squad in recent seasons and even earned a call-up to Eddie Howe’s first-team squad for the pre-season trip to Hull City in July 2024, shortly after signing his first professional contract with the club.
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The Carlisle-born, Scotland youth international made his first-team debut off the bench against Hull before going on to make 18 appearances for Newcastle Under-21s in the Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy last season, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
But the highlight of Emerson’s time at Newcastle’s academy so far came in the 2023/24 UEFA Youth League as he helped Newcastle claim their first-ever win in the competition by scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.