Newcastle United defender Federico Fernandez has been pictured back in training following his absence for the Magpies’ 1-0 win over Huddersfield.
The Argentine picked up a calf injury during the last minute 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the Toon Army’s last outing at St. James’ Park, but has returned to training as they prepare to host Fulham on Saturday afternoon.
Pictures of the session were posted to the club’s official Twitter account.
Whether or not the 29-year-old will be available to feature in that game is unclear at this stage, but his return to action will be well-received by fans and manager Rafa Benitez.
The Spaniard should also be able to call upon French defender Florian Lejeune, who is nearing a return to first team action following a ruptured cruciate ligament, in the near future.
OPINION
The return of Fernandez will be a real boost to Newcastle United, whose defending this season has often left a lot to be desired. Granted, the Argentine has been involved in many of those performances, but in recent weeks, he and Jamaal Lascelles seem to have formed a decent partnership, and he has settled well into the side. He is a calming influence with a wealth of experience, at both club and international level, and he will be a welcome re-addition Benitez’s ranks. The only issue that the 29-year-old’s availability creates is the uncertainty over the Magpie’s best centre-half pairing. Fernandez and Lascelles have looked promising, but Fabian Schar did well to keep a vital clean sheet alongside the skipper last week. Add to that the imminent and long-awaited return of Florian Lejeune, and the Spanish manager might have a selection headache on his hands. There are, of course, worse problems to have, but when a settled and solid backline could be key to survival, fierce competition might not be the best thing.