Tuesday 20 January 2015 23:08, UK
Newcastle caretaker-boss John Carver will not rush Siem de Jong back into action as the midfielder nears full fitness.
The 25-year-old Holland international has spent the last four-and-a-half months on the sidelines after he tore a thigh muscle in August.
Former boss Alan Pardew believed De Jong would link the Magpies’ midfield with attack this season, but the injury has restricted him to only three appearances since his £6m summer move from Ajax.
However, he is now back in training and looks set to make his comeback some time next month.
Carver said: "Having him, Mehdi Abeid and Sammy Ameobi fit again just adds to the group.
"He seems a huge character and he's a good talker who pops in every morning for a chat. He's one of the big characters in the dressing room.
"But we need him fully fit. I think he's got to have two, maybe three Under-21 games and then maybe 45 minutes, 70 and then a full game. He's still a little bit off at the moment."
De Jong was fit enough to join the rest of his Newcastle team-mates on this week's warm weather training camp in Dubai.
