Good news as 'unbelievable' Newcastle player just two weeks away from full training - journalist

Newcastle United have taken the decision to rest Joe Willock for the rest of the season reducing the number of available players again.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for once as journalist Chris Waugh believes that Newcastle's Brazilian powerhouse, Joelinton is just a couple of weeks away from returning to full training.

The midfielder whom Alan Shearer called 'unbelievable' has been absent since January after undergoing groin surgery, but could now end up playing a part in the final games of the season.

When Joelinton's surgery was announced there was always hope that he'd return before the end of the season, but Newcastle fans have learned the hard way to not take these estimates too seriously.

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Joelinton is back on the grass but not training with the team

However, after recently signing his bumper new deal to keep him at the club, Chris Waugh of The Athletic gave fans hope in his recent Q&A, saying that Joelinton is back out on the grass but isn't actually training with the team yet.

"When it comes to Joelinton, he is already back out on the grass, albeit doing individual work and he is not yet training with the team. Again, it seems like he is at least a couple of weeks away, with Newcastle keen for the Brazilian’s thigh injury to fully heal. They do not want him to break down again."

Obviously, there's plenty of wiggle room in that statement so there's nothing concrete to say that Joelinton will return before the end of the season, but at least there's hope.

The fears that we'd not see Joelinton again have gone away

There were fears shortly after Joelinton's surgery that we'd not see him play for the club again with his injury potentially keeping him out all season and then talks over a new contract breaking down.

If no resolution could be found, Newcastle would have had to consider selling the 27-year-old this summer before his contract ran down next year.

Thankfully that scenario was avoided as the two parties eventually found the middle ground and J7 signed up for another four years at the Toon.