Newcastle United left-back Matt Targett is back in training after recovering from his latest lay-off.
Since the Magpies’ 3-0 triumph against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup eleven months ago, the 29-year-old hasn’t participated in a competitive match for the team.
Targett picked up a hamstring injury at Old Trafford and when he first returned in March he quickly developed an Achilles ailment that required him to miss the balance of the 2023-24 campaign and this pre-season.
When he played 45 minutes for the under-21s in their Tyne-Wear derby draw with Sunderland at Whitley Park in August, the former Southampton academy product made a positive start.
Still, he has yet to make an appearance for the first team. Targett won’t play today against AFC Wimbledon after he has missed the previous several weeks of action owing to a severe eczema flare-up.
Matt is a touch too young, in my opinion,” Eddie Howe, head coach of Newcastle, remarked. “His training is still in its very early phases. He feels fantastic right now, but I don’t think he’ll win this game.
Targett began playing for Newcastle on loan from Aston Villa in January 2022, and he made 16 starts while the team was still in the Premier League. However, the defender has only made seven league starts since making the permanent move.
“It’s been tough for Matt,” Howe continued. He would have been a very dependable performer for us prior to those statements. Without a sure, this has been a really tough moment for him because he was a really excellent professional who came in amid a relegation struggle and really cemented that left-back position. He also performed to a very high level regularly.
He and I have both been greatly frustrated by his time away from the field due to injury, as we have lost out on a talented player. We’ve really missed Matt, who is technically one of the greatest players on the team, and we’d want to see him return to full fitness.
“Hopefully, we can get him back now for an extended period of time. The last issue he had was challenging to handle on top of the previous episodes he’s had.”
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