Wonderkid left-back linked with move to Newcastle United set to be absent for weeks after undergoing surgery
Newcastle United's January transfer window has already got off to a terrible start as one player linked with a move to the club this month is now facing weeks on the sidelines.
Of course, we're just dealing with transfer rumours here, so there was no guarantee that Newcastle were actually going to make a move this winter, or if the interest was even genuine, but the story is just so Newcastle.
On day one of the January window, news came from France that young Toulouse full-back, Dayann Methalie has undergone surgery and will be out of action for 'weeks'.
Newcastle had been linked with a move for the silky left-back this month, but now a move looks impossible.
The 'surgery' reported is not as bad as first feared
When looking at what Toulouse manager, Carles Martinez, actually said in his press conference, however, it may not be as bad as first feared.
While Methalie has been struggling with knee pain, the 'surgery' in question was actually just injections. It is still likely to keep him out of action for a few weeks, but it does ease the concern slightly.
“It’s not serious. But it was the best thing to do to help him feel well for the next few months. We decided to have the procedure done now so he can come back within the next month, but we can’t give a precise timeframe.”
Have Toulouse been clever with this procedure?
A month on the sidelines does potentially put paid to any notion of a January move, though, and this could be why Toulouse waited until now to do the procedure.
Dayann Methalie has been an ever-present in the Toulouse side this season, and they will be desperate to keep hold of him. One way to ensure he doesn't leave in January is to make sure he can't partake in a medical.
It's a shame because what we've seen of the 19-year-old is that he'd be a fantastic option to have to ensure Lewis Hall doesn't get burnt out.
