Journalist says Newcastle man who managed just 14 appearances last season will be fit to start new season

Newcastle United were hit with some significant long-term injuries last season to members of the first-team squad.

Now it has been confirmed that the Magpies will kick-off the 2024/25 season with three players missing through injury and of course Sandro Tonali still suspended for the first two games.

Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman are recovering from ACL surgery and aren't expected to be back in action until 2025, although it's now believed that Botman is ahead of schedule and may be back earlier, although with it being a big injury, the club would be wise to allow him all the time he needs.

Fans will have question marks over a couple of other players who were rarely seen last season too.

Joe Willock will be fit for the new season

Matt Targett made just seven appearances for Newcastle last season and is now expected to be moved on this summer.

Another player fans didn't get to see much of last season was Joe Willock. The former Arsenal man picked up a bad hamstring injury at the back end of the 2022/23 season which carried on into 2023/24's pre-season, and just as he was starting to recover he injured his achilles.

That injury kept flaring up every time he'd make a return to action limiting him to just 14 appearances, but now journalist Joel Bland has claimed that Willock will be ready for the new campaign.

Newcastle still look good in midfield

This will be a big boost to Newcastle who have already sold Elliot Anderson and just a couple of days later lost Lewis Miley to injury for around 12 weeks..

Also with Tonali unavailable for the first couple of games of the season and also being limited to what he can do in pre-season thanks to the terms of his ban, having Willock back is huge.

Newcastle will no doubt bring more bodies in between now and the start of the season but as to whether any of those will be central midfielders remains to be seen, but we look like we've got things covered for now.