Hatem Ben Arfa’s return from injury will be delayed after a new set-back according to Newcastle manager Alan Pardew.
The 23-year-old had hoped to make his comeback from a double leg-break against Wolves next month.
But Pardew admits the forward, who sustained the injury against Manchester City following a horror tackle from midfielder Nigel De Jong, will not be rushed back too soon and may miss out the rest of the campaign.
‘I am going to protect him. I can’t just throw him in,’ said Pardew, confirming that the player’s rehabilitaion – most of which has been spent in Paris – will continue over the forthcoming weeks.
‘The Wolves game sound optimistic, even though I’m sure, in his own mind, he has set that as his target.