Newcastle United duo return & injury boosts as Leeds transfer target spotted at training ground

Kieran Trippier leading by example

Newcastle United vice-captain Kieran Trippier wore the armband for the majority of last season in the absence of Jamaal Lascelles from the starting line-up. And since his return to Newcastle, the 32-year-old right-back has shown a first-class attitude.

Despite being allowed additional time off due to his international commitments with England last month, Trippier visited the training ground last week to welcome new signing Sandro Tonali to the club. He then joined up with the first-team on Sunday for the first day of pre-season training.

Players such as Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Callum Wilson, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Fabian Schar, Martin Dubravka, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron have all been granted additional time to recover as a result of being on international duty.

Jamal Lewis also returned to training with Newcastle after withdrawing from the Northern Ireland squad due to a knee injury.

Newcastle United duo return from loan spells

Sunday’s return also saw Karl Darlow and Kell Watts back at the training ground after spending time out on loan last season. Darlow joined Championship side Hull City for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign while Watts was on loan at Peterborough United in League One.

Injuries limited the 23-year-old defender to just 11 appearances in all competitions and just five league starts. His contract at Newcastle is set to expire next summer.

Darlow still has two years left on his current deal at the club but is likely to leave this summer after attracting plenty of interest from Championship clubs. Another loan move could be in the offing for the long-serving goalkeeper with Leeds United one of several clubs interested.

Injury boosts and blow confirmed for Newcastle United

Although Eddie Howe admitted Emil Krafth would miss the pre-season matches following a slight set-back in his recovery from an ACL injury suffered last August, there was still some positive news on the injury front.

Nick Pope was back at the training ground after undergoing hand surgery at the end of the 2022-23 season. Although the England international isn’t using his hands in training so far, he could be back in action very soon.

Joe Willock is also closing in on a return to full training after having his 2022-23 season cut short due to a hamstring injury.

Sean Longstaff has also made a full recovery from a foot injury that hampered the end of his season while Javier Manquillo, Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie were all back in full training after having their previous seasons cut short due to injury.

Lewis Miley remains part of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United plans

17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley became Newcastle’s youngest ever Premier League player when he came off the bench in the closing stages of the 1-1 draw at Chelsea at the end of the 2022-23 season. He trained regularly with the first-team last season and his presence on the return for pre-season training at Darsley Park suggests he will play a part in the club’s upcoming pre-season campaign.

Miley actually returned to the club last Wednesday as he joined up with the Under-21s side at the Academy before joining up with the first-team on Sunday.

Miley will be given an opportunity to impress this coming pre-season in what is set to be an important campaign for the young midfielder.

Newcastle’s training ground contrast

The first day of training last year saw the players return to a literal building site as work got under way to improve the training ground. A year on that work is virtually completed with the Darsley Park complex considerably improved inside and out.

The latest photos published by the club, in addition to Sandro Tonali’s behind the scenes visit to the training ground, show the extent of the work that has been carried out.

Following the end of the 2022-23 season, club legend Shola Ameobi gave an ‘MTV Cribs’ tour of the training ground to show what improvements have been made.

It’s the first-time Newcastle’s training ground has been on par with that of a Premier League club in a long time. And the squad will reap the full benefits of it throughout the 2023-24 campaign.

Several Newcastle United players yet to return

As previously mentioned, the likes of Wilson, Schar, Joelinton, Guimaraes, Almiron, Gordon, Dubravka, Botman, Isak and Tonali are yet to return following their international commitments.

18-year-old forward Garang Kuol also wasn’t involved in training having been away with Australia Under-23s last month.

As a result, Newcastle have started pre-season training without a senior striker involved.

Jeff Hendrick has also been away on international duty with Republic of Ireland but is unlikely to join up with the first-team for training having spent last season on loan at Reading. Prior to his departure last summer, the 31-year-old trained with the Under-21s side. He is set to leave this summer with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Ryan Fraser wasn’t in attendance after being frozen out of the first-team last season and made to train with the Under-21s.

Isaac Hayden spent last season on loan at Norwich City but failed to trigger the club’s performance-related obligation to buy clause. He was not pictured on the return to pre-season training having suffered with injuries for the majority of last season.

The midfielder is another who is likely to leave the club this summer despite still having three years remaining on his current deal.