· 7 July 2025, 15:00
**In an ideal world, all of Newcastle United's players would return to training over the summer fully fit and ready to get to work, but the reality is always very different.**
The Magpies had a couple of players out injured when the curtain came down on the brilliant 2024/25 season, and it seems one of those issues is still looming.
Joelinton missed nine games at the end of the campaign when we really could have done with his battling nature in the middle of the park.
Thankfully, the rest of the squad was able to get the job done and seal Champions League qualification, but we can wonder what might have been had J7 been on the side on those occasions where points were dropped.
> [](https://twitter.com/CraigHope_DM/status/1942132675982110868)
Joelinton is back in full training ahead of the new campaign
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Fortunately for Eddie Howe, Joelinton has returned to work today, ready to rock. Fully fit and training along with the rest of the squad, as reported by Craig Hope on X.
However, left-back Lewis Hall hasn't been so lucky as the 20-year-old has been missing since March, having undergone surgery on his foot.
While it was recently reported that Hall is back on the grass, it seems he's still a while away from full training.
Lewis Hall may have to wait until the season starts to get back to action
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Hope's update says that Hall should be okay for the season opener at Aston Villa, which does suggest we won't see much, if any of him, during pre-season.
Hopefully, he can recover in time to get at least one or two games in before the season gets underway, to start to work on match sharpness rather than having to shake off all the rust in competitive action.
Lewis Hall was on track for being Newcastle's Player of the Season before his injury, so we'll have our fingers crossed that he can pick up where he left off.