The warm-up campaign for Newcastle United has reached a crucial phase under the guidance of Matthias Jaissle, as the newly appointed manager gets ready to oversee his debut match facing Valencia while still awaiting the arrival of multiple key first-team players.
Defensive option Lewis Hall, on the other hand, is ruled out of this afternoon’s fixture. Chris Waugh from The Athletic reports that Hall departed the Magpies’ training base in La Manga earlier than planned, returning to Tyneside after picking up a minor physical setback.
The young fullback traveled back on Friday in the company of Fabian Schar and Lewis Miley, meaning all three individuals will sit out Saturday’s exhibition match against Valencia.
“Insiders familiar with the situation indicated that Hall departed La Manga on Friday, where the Magpies had spent a week on a warm-weather training camp, accompanied by Fabian Schar and Lewis Miley, both of whom will likewise sit out Saturday’s test in Spain against Valencia, marking Jaissle’s maiden match at the helm,” detailed Waugh.
Fortunately, there seems to be no major alarm regarding the extent of Hall’s setback, with his early exit classified primarily as a safety measure. The club confirmed that the three players are undergoing conditioning sessions at The Knox, with Waugh noting that Hall should resume training by Sunday.
“According to official club updates, the three players are keeping up their recovery routines at Newcastle’s training base, The Knox. Hall is scheduled to do individual drills on Tyneside this Sunday and could feature in Wednesday’s warm-up fixture against Everton at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, or participate in the dual warm-up matches scheduled at St James’ Park over the coming weekend,” Waugh stated.
The situation nevertheless deprives Jaissle of depth on the flanks. Fellow English defender Tino Livramento remains on the road to recovery from his own setback, while Dan Burn has returned to Newcastle following international duty but is not yet back in full training with the squad.
The defender’s premature departure from the Spanish camp also coincides with ongoing interest from Manchester United in the 21-year-old, a development bound to fuel further speculation surrounding a potential transfer, despite the fact that the Magpies have rebuffed inquiries from Old Trafford and firmly told Manchester United that the player is off-limits.
In his update, Waugh emphasized that the club’s position on a potential transfer remains unwavering, noting that Newcastle continues to be “absolutely firm that the 21-year-old left-sided defender is not on the market,” as they consider him a vital element of Jaissle’s future setup.
At present, the promising aspect is that Hall might be back on the pitch before the conclusion of the warm-up games and ahead of the top-flight opener against Liverpool on August 23.
Are you worried about the lack of fit fullbacks at Newcastle with the campaign fast approaching? Is securing another defensive signing an urgent priority for the club? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
