'Massive' - Newcastle United official Dan Burn injury update as Eddie Howe drops fresh transfer hint
Newcastle United injuries: Dan Burn is closing in on a return to action after a month out for Newcastle.
Dan Burn suffered a rib injury against Sunderland last month that has since ruled the Newcastle United defender out for eight matches.
The 33-year-old was given a four-to-six-week recovery timeframe following his initial injury four-and-a-half weeks ago.
Burn was back at St James’ Park on Tuesday night but wasn’t involved in the 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Manchester City. Instead, he was a pundit on Sky Sports’ televised broadcast of the match.
Dan Burn injury update
During Sky’s coverage, Burn provided an update on his injury and recovery.
“I’m good, lungs are alright and my ribs will be a couple more weeks, but feeling a lot better than I was four weeks ago,” Burn said. “I think it’s the most pain I have ever been in. I was lying in bed for about three days, but it got better pretty quickly.”
Prior to the match, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe explained Burn would be back in contention in around ‘a couple of weeks’.
“With Dan, yeah, Dan was given a time frame that I think will roughly end up being the time frame,” Howe said. “I'm not sure how much we can shave off that with the type of injury that he's got, but he's making good progress.
“He's running, he's out on the grass, he's here every day, and Dan will be very keen to push himself back, but I think it's one that we have to be careful with.”
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Newcastle United defensive issues
In addition to Burn, Newcastle have Fabian Schar, Emil Krafth, Tino Livramento and Jamaal Lascelles all unavailable as defensive options amid a busy period of fixtures.
It leaves Howe with just four senior defenders to choose from and has seen him turn to 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley as a solution at both right-back and briefly centre-back as well.
Schar and Livramento are facing extended spells on the sidelines while Howe has admitted Lascelles could leave the club this month, limiting his options further over a prolonged period.
But after the defeat to City, Howe admitted he is pinning his hopes on Burn returning to fitness and staying that way.
“Defensively, we’re really stretched,” Howe admitted. “We’re pinning our hopes on Dan being back pretty soon, Dan Burn.
“That would give us a massive lift and, of course, the transfer market is still available to us.”
While Newcastle started the month reluctant to do any business this January, Howe has maintained that any moves in the transfer market would be dictated by the club’s injury situation.
And with it showing no real signs of easing, the club are actively looking to make a move in the transfer market to help address it.
In addition to the injuries, Newcastle also have Kieran Trippier, Schar, Krafth and Lascelles out of contract in the summer. Meaning new deals or more likely new faces will become a necessity at some stage.