Newcastle United's Matt Targett is reportedly in talks over a loan move to Middlesbrough.placeholder image
Newcastle United's Matt Targett is reportedly in talks over a loan move to Middlesbrough. | Stu Forster/Getty Images
A number of injury issues and the form of other players have led to the Newcastle United left-back leaving on loan.
Matt Targett has revealed how FA anti-doping rules prevented him from training with Newcastle United in September last year.
Targett is out of contract at Newcastle next summer and will spend the 2025-26 campaign on loan at North East rivals Middlesbrough as he looks to get his career back on track.
The 29-year-old initially joined the Magpies on loan in January 2022, a move that was turned permanent for £15million in the following summer after he helped the club retain its Premier League status.
Matt Targett reflects on ‘difficult’ Newcastle United spell
But a mix of injuries and the form of other players has restricted Targett to just 31 appearances in three years.
Reflecting on his personal struggles in that time, Targett said: "Honestly, it's difficult. When I first went there on loan, it was incredible. I played every part in them staying up, and then started the next season but got a little injury and the team just went on a crazy run.
"Then a couple more big injuries. Highs and lows. I played in the Champions League, that was a massive high. I was part of the squad that won the Carabao Cup.
"From a playing perspective, it was tough, but being part of that squad and seeing how far they've come as players and a team was nice to be part of."
The surprise reason why eczema flare up left Matt Targett unable to train
Targett’s biggest injury came in a Carabao Cup tie away to Manchester United in November 2023, where a hamstring problem picked up five minutes into the game forced him to undergo surgery.
And that proved to be his last appearance of that campaign, after later sustaining an Achilles injury.
An eczema flare-up a month into the 2024-25 season then brought further frustration for Targett as the medication he received meant he was unable to train due to FA anti-doping rules.
It wasn’t until last Boxing Day, 13 months from his last first-team appearance, that Targett made his return to the field. That was one of two Premier League appearances last season, both home and away against former club Aston Villa.
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"It was tough," said Targett. "You get a chance to play in the cup and literally about three minutes in, I ruptured my hamstring and was out for four months.
"Then I got back training with the team for a week or two at the beginning of April and had a tear in my Achilles, so was out for another four and a bit months.
"That was the toughest period. A big injury to the hamstring and Achilles as well. That was tough. So I missed a whole pre-season. But last season I was fit for the majority but obviously it was so hard to get into that team.
"I had a little breakout in eczema, so I had to take some tablets that wouldn't allow me to train because of anti-doping rules.
"I had to miss a couple of weeks with that. But since that it's been straightforward. I'm fully fit now, had a full pre-season, full training, I'm excited to get going again."
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