Hi Vis Nike Flight match ball. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)Hi Vis Nike Flight match ball. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Hi Vis Nike Flight match ball. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Newcastle United transfer rumours: Magpies ‘leading race’ to sign Tottenham international, Toon target ‘as good as gone’ from current club

Jonjo Shelvey is Newcastle United’s latest injury concern ahead of the club’s festive fixtures.

Shelvey – who scored against Liverpool last week – missed the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City with what was described as a “slight” injury, while Javier Manquillo was unwell.

“Javier Manquillo, unfortunately, was a very late drop out due to illness,” said head coach Eddie Howe.

“So that was a big problem for us. Emil Krafth was also unwell, so he took his place on the bench, but hadn’t trained for a week. Again, that was illness.

“Jonjo’s played a lot of football in a short space of time, having missed a long period, and we just felt that we had to be very, very careful with him for this game. We hope he’ll be back soon. I don’t think he’s got a long-term injury there.

“The players have put in a huge physical effort in the last two games, so we’re counting the cost of that at the moment. It’s a very intense period for us.”

“I think they’re going to be longer-term,” said Howe. “We don’t expect them back for the foreseeable future, unfortunately.

“Jamal’s a very strange one early in the game against Liverpool. I know he hadn’t had a lot of football, but that was a really big blow for us at the beginning of that match, and Feddy, it looks like it’s going to be around the same length of time.”

“So that was a big problem for us. Emil Krafth was also unwell, so he took his place on the bench, but hadn’t trained for a week. Again, that was illness.