The Magpies’ preparations for their Championship campaign have suffered a setback.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez with Siem De Jong
Siem de Jong’s terrible run of luck since joining Newcastle United has continued after he left the club’s pre-season training camp in Ireland with the Shields Gazette reporting that he has been struck down with a hamstring injury.
After a difficult spell on Tyneside, the 27-year-old would have been hoping to prove himself to Rafael Benitez ahead of the club’s campaign in the Championship.
However, the Spaniard has confirmed that he has left the camp and explained the incident that led to the Dutchman’s latest injury.
“I was close to him and he tried to keep the ball in with his heel, and there was a problem with his hamstring,” he told the Shields Gazette.
“That can sometimes happen. It was a bad movement, but it was a positive thing in terms of trying to get the ball and fighting for that.”
Unfortunately, de Jong’s latest setback is typical of his time at St James’ Park. During his first two seasons with the club, he has suffered several injuries, including a thigh problem and a collapsed lung.
Those problems have meant that the former Ajax man has made just 22 league appearances for the Magpies, with 18 of those appearances coming from the substitutes’ bench.
With Dwight Gayle joining the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez in the squad this summer, de Jong would have surely felt that he needed a fantastic pre-season to ensure that he was in Benitez’s plans.
However, this latest knock may just convince the boss that he cannot rely on the forward remaining fit, thus surely leaving de Jong right down the pecking order.
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