Newcastle United training ground footage gives update as 'one of the best' ruled out for 12 months
Matt Targett has been spotted back in training this week - one year on from his last appearance for Newcastle United.
The 29-year-old hasn’t played a competitive first-team game for the Magpies since the 3-0 win at Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. Targett picked up a hamstring injury in the early stages at Old Trafford and was forced to undergo surgery.
After four months out, Targett returned in March but didn’t make it off the bench in matches against Chelsea and Manchester City. He then sustained an Achilles injury in training which saw him miss the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign and this pre-season.
The left-back looked to be on the road to recovery when he played 45 minutes for the under-21s in their 1-1 draw with Tyne-Wear rivals Sunderland at Whitley Park in August. That was followed up with being named on the bench versus Southampton, AFC Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the former Saints academy graduate hasn’t been named in the matchday squad since September. The last update from United boss Eddie Howe revealed Targett had been suffering with a bad episode of eczema.
Newcastle are back at the City Ground this weekend having recently got the better of Forest on penalties in the Carabao Cup and Targett has trained with his teammates. Sky Sports News were allowed to film parts of training on Tuesday and Targett participated in the bleep test.
Reflecting on Targett’s absence, Howe said: “It’s been tough for Matt. Previous to those spells out he’d be a really reliable performer for us. He was someone who came in during a relegation battle and really solidified that left-back position, he was someone who consistently played to a really high level - very consistent and a really good professional so this has been a really difficult time for him without a shadow of a doubt.
“The time he’s spent injured is hugely frustrating for him and for us because we’ve missed a very good player. Matt, technically for me, is one of the best players in the squad so we’ve really missed him and would love to get him back fit on a consistent basis.
“The last problem that he has had has been a difficult one to take on top of the other episodes he’s had so fingers crossed we can get him back now for a sustained period.”