Newcastle United defender Jamaal Lascelles has thanked two teammates who watched on as he made his return from a lengthy injury layoff.
The 31-year-old had not been seen on a football pitch for over a year after suffering a nasty ACL injury in March 2024, but finally made an emotional return in an academy friendly earlier this week.
Jamaal Lascelles was named on the bench for Newcastle’s game against Chelsea at St James’ Park on Sunday, admitting it was an emotional moment for him to return to the ground as part of the matchday squad.
In his pre-match presser on Friday, Howe was delighted with Lascelles’ return, claiming he and the team had missed the defender’s voice on the training pitch.
Lascelles played 45 minutes for Newcastle’s academy, a 1-1 draw with Celtic’s B team at the Magpies’ training ground.
In an interview after his appearance, Lascelles thanked two players who were seen watching on from the sidelines.
Photo by Michael Driver | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Driver | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Jamaal Lascelles thanks two Newcastle United players on return from injury
By no means has it been an easy year for Lascelles, who Howe claims has suffered setbacks during his recovery.
At one point, it looked like Lascelles was set to leave Newcastle, with his contract expiring at the end of the season. However, Lascelles signed a new contract until 2026, with the Magpies in need of more bodies for their upcoming European campaign.
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It now looks like he is over his injury and is close to playing for the first team again following his game for the youth team, which was watched by Newcastle players Joe Willock and Matt Targett.
The pair were captured in an interview with Lascelles immediately after he was taken off, where the 31-year-old commented on their presence.
“I think it’s really important people show their support,” he said in an interview with Newcastle’s official website.
“I remember when Sven had his first game back, quite a few people were there watching – players, staff.
“It was really nice, I think I saw Joe Willock here, so it was nice to have them watching.”
Lascelles is likely to be on the bench again for Newcastle’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday.
Joe Willock and Matt Targett’s futures at Newcastle United
While the pair have been thanked by Lascelles upon his return to football, they could be two of several players to leave Newcastle this summer.
Joe Willock is attracting interest from Crystal Palace as they look to find an alternative to Eberechi Eze, who looks set to leave the South London club this summer.
It is also believed that Targett’s time at Newcastle appears to be over. The 29-year-old had interest from the likes of Leeds United and Southampton during the January transfer window, but a move never materialised.
Howe confirmed Targett is struggling with a new injury problem, a common story for the left-back’s season.
With Lewis Hall a long-term option for Newcastle and Tino Livramento performing well as a makeshift left-back, it is very difficult to see how Targett will fit into Howe’s plans going forward.