Jonjo Shelvey is set to be included in Newcastle United’s 25-man Premier League squad, despite being sidelined for the majority of the first half of the season, giving him the chance to earn an automatic contract extension.
The midfielder underwent surgery in London last weekend on a hamstring problem and is expected to be absent for around 12 weeks.
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Despite that, Eddie Howe, the head coach, believes Newcastle had enough cover in midfield, so his priorities in the transfer market have not yet changed. Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson, the 19-year-old who will not be sent out on loan, are his options.
Howe, who is chasing attacking reinforcements, admits Newcastle are “no closer currently” to adding to the squad but he “hopes the next week or so might be different”.
“I feel we have enough to cover his absence currently, but as you know, things in football can change very quickly,” Howe said, ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Brighton & Hove Albion tomorrow.
“Losing Jonjo is a big blow, he’s been a huge player for us over the last few seasons. He brings unique qualities in that midfield role.
“Bruno played in that position on Saturday and did very well. We do have other players – Sean’s played the position and did very well during pre-season. He used the ball excellently. We have a couple of options but we’re going to miss Jonjo.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say midfield is our main focus (in the market), but it’s something in the back of our minds. If we need to do something, we have the capability of doing so in that position. But we have probably other positions that are more of a priority currently.”
Shelvey is just three games away from earning an automatic 12-month contract extension and is desperate to prolong his St James’ Park career.
Unless the midfielder’s recovery is hampered, however, he is in line to be among the 25 senior players who Howe selects to play during the first half of the 2022-23, despite the November and December World Cup limiting the number of matches Shelvey would miss in the meantime.
“That’s a good question to chuck at me,” Howe replied when asked by The Athletic if Shelvey could be left out of the Premier League squad. “I’d say he’d be in the squad, without giving 100 per cent guarantees because we need to see how his rehab goes.
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“If there’s a chance that he will be back and a chance to play, which at the moment we think there is, then he would be in that squad. But if it changed and it looked like he wouldn’t then that would be a different decision.
“It was quite a complex injury so we had a number of scans, a number of opinions, because we wanted to make the right call. It wasn’t a clear injury. He’s had an operation so we expect him to be out for around 12 weeks. He was very disappointed, he’d worked very hard during pre-season and looked in very good physical shape. It was a real shame for him and for us, but he’s on the road to recovery now and we’re looking forward to getting him back.”
Shelvey is keen to earn a new contract, ideally even beyond the 2023-23 campaign, but Howe refused to be drawn on whether the club will hand him an extension regardless.
“I don’t think that’s necessarily a call for me to make at the moment,” Howe said. “I think that’s between Jonjo’s representatives and the club. For me, I’m just speaking to Jonjo on a daily basis to try and get him back fit and near the squad again.”
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(Photo: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
