Eddie Howe has confirmed that Isaac Hayden will be out of action for Newcastle United for 10 weeks, claiming he had been playing with the same knee problem that he sustained last season.
The Magpies are set to be without the 26-year-old powerhouse until spring due to a stubborn knee injury.
Hayden, a £4.5 million signing by Newcastle in 2016, picked up the original problem last March.
But the United manager has revealed that his current issue is actually a relative of that, revealing that he had been playing through the pain barrier all season.
He told BBC Sport: “Long-standing knee problem – injury sustained last season – he’s been playing with that for the benefit of the team while not 100%, but it came to the point where the pain was getting too much. Anticipate he’ll be out for around ten weeks.”
Silver lining
Having started 12 Premier League outings for Newcastle this season, Hayden’s absence comes as something of a blow for the 43-year-old manager.
The former Arsenal academy graduate is an important, experienced figure and with the Tyneside outfit battling relegation, Howe needs all the major assistance that he can get.
However, there is a silver lining.
Newcastle have known about Hayden’s injury since the very beginning of January, meaning that Saudi Public Investment Fund could, in theory, bankroll a replacement during the transfer window.
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