LEJEUNE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS AFTER SURGERY
NEWCASTLE DEFENDER MAYBE JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM A RETURN TO ACTION
Lejeune could be back in training within weeks – thanks to pioneering surgery.
The Newcastle United defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the summer.
Lejeune underwent surgery at an Italian clinic in early August – and the 27-year-old is already sprinting and doing ball work.
The club used the same surgeon, Professor Pier Paolo Mariani, that operated on Rolando Aarons the season before last.
And Lejeune, already warming up with his teammates, could return to training later this month.
“The Italian people who did the operation are around, checking, and he’s fine,” said United manager Rafa Benitez, who used the surgeon during his time at Napoli.
“I don’t want to be too optimistic, but he’s had a couple of training sessions doing the warm-up with the team.
“On the ball, he can do almost every- thing, but he has to improve. He has to be stronger, quicker, and after he has to train with the team. “After training with the team for a while, we can take the risk of playing him in games. It’s going really well. We’ll see how long it takes, but I think it will be sooner than everybody was expecting at the beginning.” Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez has given an injury update on Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto, who were all forced off against Watford last weekend. Lascelles wasn’t able to continue because of a shoulder problem, while Shelvey and Muto limped off with muscular problems.
United manager Benitez feels that Lascelles has a chance of playing on Saturday.
“It was a light training session, and Jamaal could train,” said Benitez.
Shelvey and Muto, howFlorian ever, are still getting treatment.
“The other two had treatment, so we will see,” added Benitez.
“It will be difficult for them this weekend, but we will see, little by little, how they progress.”