Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock has delivered a message to fans after his latest injury blow.

The 24-year-old has endured a torrid campaign that has been ruined by a hamstring injury followed by an Achilles problem. The latter has kept Joe Willock out for a long time, and it continues to plague him.

It looked like Willock was over his injury issues when he returned in February, and he even marked his comeback with a goal against his former club Arsenal. The hope was that it was a sign of things to come, but it actually turned out to be a false dawn.

Joe Willock still suffering from Achilles problem

Willock started the recent 1-0 win over Fulham, but had to be taken off in the first half. Afterwards, Eddie Howe confirmed that he was still having problems with his Achilles, leading to concerns over his availability.

The club later decided to rule Willock out for the rest of the season, after he met with a specialist to discuss the injury.

He has now missed Newcastle’s last three games, and will not be involved in our remaining four either. We will not see Willock play a competitive game again for Newcastle until the 2024/25 campaign, while the hope is that he will be ready for pre-season.

Joe Willock sends new message to Newcastle fans on Instagram

The club have opted against Willock having surgery, with the £25million man instead undergoing a ‘period where he strengthens the area around his Achilles‘. And it seems that he is doing just that, as he shares an update on his recovery via his official Instagram account.

Willock has posted an update on his Instagram story, showing him putting in the work behind the scenes. He is working on an exercise bike, continuing to stay on top of his cardio as he works towards full fitness in time for pre-season.

Alongside the image, Willock wrote: “Step by step.”

Elliot Anderson benefitting from Willock decision

The decision for Willock to miss the rest of the season is benefitting one player – Elliot Anderson.

The 21-year-old is starting regularly, having gotten over his own injury problem. He missed a large chunk of the campaign with a back problem, and has admitted that he did not handle his period on the shelf very well.

Fortunately, Anderson is back now and making up for lost time. He is playing really well right now, and was particularly impressive during the 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Anderson will likely be a Newcastle starter for the rest of the season, with Joelinton the only other midfielder who could return and threaten the local lad’s place in the starting XI.

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