Newcastle United injury U-turn after midfielder ruled out for six months

The 18-year-old hasn’t featured for Newcastle since March following a back injury that cut his breakthrough season short. After recovering, Miley then sustained a broken metatarsal in June that has kept him out for the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

The teenager has since returned to light individual training at Darsley Park but Howe revealed the player is not close to being back in contention.

“Lewy Miley is still a long way off,” Howe admitted. “He's back on the grass but he's not back with us. He's a long way [off] and we've still got the long-term injuries as well but there's nothing fresh apart from that.”

Callum Wilson has been ruled out for another month with a hamstring issue while Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are still recovering from ACL injuries. Miley broke into the Newcastle first-team last season and 26 appearances for the club.

His one goal for the club came in a 3-0 win over Fulham at St James’ Park in December 2023 and made him the club’s youngest ever Premier League goalscorer.

Earlier in the month Howe suggested Miley could be back in contention by the end of the month or early October but has now seemingly made a U-turn on his comments.

“He's doing well, he's back on the grass, it is great to see him with his boots on,” Howe said previously when asked for an update on Miley.

“The first time was last week. He's on track I'd say for the three months he was given initially, I don't see any big change from that.”